Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support this Bill but want to make a couple of points about it, especially regarding the lack of investment, including in Mayo and the rest of the west. The failure to include the western rail corridor in the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, funding scheme is a missed opportunity. EU funding of up to 20% of the overall project value could be provided to successful applicants. We keep missing the target in addressing regional imbalance. This is an opportunity to hit it. The Minister of State needs to start considering the country as a whole and the neglect of the west and rural areas. We talk about climate change, using public transport and getting cars off the road but at the same time find there is no investment. There is a lot of talk and vague announcements but we need to see delivery in the west. The western rail corridor could be a catalyst for what is needed. I do not buy that the western rail corridor cannot be included because the assembly is not up and running in the North. The recommendations of the all-island rail review must be implemented. There is absolutely nothing other than the lack of political will stopping the reopening of the western rail corridor.

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