▁Ireland ▁that ▁oper ates ▁trains ▁is ▁N I ▁Rail ways , ▁who ▁are ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Trans link , ▁the ▁public ly ▁owned ▁transport ▁corpor ation , ▁which ▁also ▁runs ▁the ▁Metro ▁bus es ▁in ▁B elf ast ▁and ▁Ul ster bus ▁coach es ▁around ▁the ▁country . ▁N IR ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁TO C ▁under ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁Rail ways ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁which ▁only ▁applies ▁to ▁Great ▁Britain . ▁ ▁The ▁cross - border ▁service ▁Enter prise ▁( B elf ast – D ub lin ) ▁is ▁joint ly ▁operated ▁with ▁I arn ród ▁É ire ann , ▁the ▁national ▁railway ▁company ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁Ch anges ▁Upon ▁priv at isation ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁the ▁three ▁passenger - oper ating ▁se ctors ▁of ▁British ▁Rail ▁( Inter City , ▁Network ▁South E ast ▁and ▁Regional ▁Rail ways ) ▁were ▁divided , ▁and ▁their ▁existing ▁operations ▁were ▁let ▁as ▁ 2 5 ▁franch ises : ▁▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁The ▁priv at isation ▁process ▁began ▁when ▁BR ' s ▁passenger ▁se ctors ▁were ▁divided ▁into ▁ 2 5 ▁shadow ▁franch ises ▁– ▁these ▁were ▁public ly ▁owned ▁TO C s ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁planned ▁franch ise ▁areas ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁actual ▁franch ises ▁being ▁put ▁to ▁tender : ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Channel ▁T unnel ▁saw ▁operations ▁by ▁Euro star ▁begin ▁from ▁London ▁Water lo o ▁to ▁Paris ▁and