Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Four supporters. I was talking about my own county. There are people, however, who have an alternative view on this. I refer to both council level and Oireachtas level. I have heard numerous people, including colleagues of my own, dismissing the existing phase of the western rail corridor as being a white elephant, a waste of money and that nobody is using it. That is totally untrue. I have asked the Atlantic economic corridor task force to look at the existing figures, to be able to put those out and give an unbiased reflection of the reality on the ground. It is a success story, something that is improving and something that has greater potential to grow and develop. I have discussed this with the Minister, Deputy Ring, and I would like to see a role for this Department in respect of the western rail corridor.

I know Project Ireland 2040 makes mention of this in respect of the rail review. The Deputy is correct and I believe that the WDC should have a role in that. Irish Rail, if left to its own devices, might not come up with a result that would be in the interest of the west. We have to look at something like this not for just today or tomorrow or five years, but ten, twenty and thirty years into the future. We have to look at the whole issue of climate change, rural regeneration and all that goes with that. The potential for the western rail corridor is huge. I am fully supportive and it would be a retrograde step if we lost the line based on a short-term decision on an alternative use that would make it difficult to get it back for rail in the future.

I certainly would support the Western Development Commission having a role in that review. Has the Chairman had an opportunity to invite representatives of the Western Development Commission to appear before the committee? I have met the chairman and the chief executive officer, CEO. The Minister, Deputy Ring, has appointed a new board. I am trying to organise a date to meet its members in order to put forward some of my ideas and to hear the issues with which they would like to get involved or in which they believe they might have a role and whether the legislation establishing the commission needs to be changed. I have some ideas in that regard that we hope to advance subject to agreement within the Department.