Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputy Canney. I remind members, staff and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones because they interfere with the sound system.

We have two related topics on our agenda: opportunities for investment in heavy rail and flooding at Ballycar on the Galway-Limerick railway. I propose that we discuss both together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I will call on representatives from each organisation to make an opening statement. I will then invite members to put their questions to the various organisations. I suggest that members should limit their questioning to between three and five minutes, but I will allow them to contribute twice if appropriate. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I will now read some formal notices for the information of the witnesses. I draw their attention to the fact that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the Chair to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Any submission, opening statement or other document they have supplied to the committee will be published on its website after the meeting.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome the director of the Geological Survey of Ireland, Mr. Koen Verbruggen, and his colleagues from the groundwater flood programme, Dr. Ted McCormack and Dr. Owen Naughton. From the National Parks and Wildlife Service, I welcome Mr. John Fitzgerald, principal officer with responsibility for legislation, licensing and property management. From the Office of Public Works, I welcome Mr. John Sydenham, commissioner, Mr. Cian Ó Dónaill, regional engineer, and Mr. Liam Basquille, principal officer in engineering services. From Clare County Council, I welcome Mr. Tom Tiernan and Mr. John Leahy, who is the incoming senior engineer. From Iarnród Éireann, I welcome Mr. Jim Meade, chief executive, and Mr. Colin Hedderly, senior track and structures engineer.

I would like to provide a little of the background to this discussion. Since 1834, when the first commuter railway in the world was opened in Ireland, railways have helped us to conquer space and time by bringing cities, towns and villages closer together. They have always been very important to rural Ireland. The committee decided to make consideration of rural transport and connectivity a priority in its 2018 work programme. We have met representatives of the National Transport Authority. A great deal of progress has been made in Dublin with light rail and there are plans for a metro. We should not forget that there are many opportunities for investment in heavy rail throughout the island of Ireland, including some low hanging fruit. Funding may also be available from the European Union. I suggest we need to improve connectivity by designing intermodal nodes such as heavy rail connections at ports and airports. One of the most important heavy rail projects in recent years was the restoration of the railway line between Galway, Ennis and Limerick as the first phase of the western rail corridor. The line has increasingly frequently been closed for long periods as a result of groundwater flooding at Ballycar, probably due to climate change. Groundwater flooding is not as well understood as other types of flooding such as river flooding, rainfall-related flooding or coastal flooding. It seems to be particularly common in rural Ireland, especially in several western counties, including Clare, Galway, Longford, Mayo and Roscommon. The committee has asked Geological Survey Ireland which recently took over as the lead agency dealing with groundwater flooding for its advice on the causes of such flooding and how the risk of such flooding could be mitigated. I understand there have been some successes in County Galway. It is possible that these lessons could be learned in Ballycar.

I ask the director of Geological Survey Ireland, Mr. Verbruggen, to make his opening statement.