Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is good to see Mr. Aughey, a noted entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs create jobs and help society. This is a modern man who is ambitious and resilient, working according to the principle of going big or going home. He is thinking outside the box. This proposal is very good for the island of Ireland. It is incredibly exciting. It is music to my ears because the whole north west has been bereft of rail since the authorities tragically lifted the tracks and built on many of them from the late 1950s onwards. Unfortunately, addressing this is not in the programme for Government. It is an encouraging achievement to get this far because we have many requests.

Mr. Aughey will know that we are taking the matter very seriously at this committee. He will keep going but I do not want the project to run out of momentum. We are stronger together. This phrase was used to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom but I want to apply it in a completely different way. We are stronger together. I do not want this proposal, despite the presentation having been very informative, to fade away in a whimsical way. In concrete terms, how can this Brexit committee help Mr. Aughey to make progress on this great idea and help our island with connectivity? Could all the parties go to their grassroots and have it formally agreed at Ard-Fheis level and then ask, when we have unanimity, how we can push forward the Aughey proposal, this exciting proposal?

I have been happily ensconced for many years now in the Thoroughbred County, Kildare, where I am a proud Monaghanman. I am delighted a straight line cuts through Carrickmacross because it could do with rail. There is a rail track that has been built on in Kingscourt. The proposal is incredibly exciting but I worry about it because, unfortunately, as a seasoned campaigner for rail for many a long year I have had more setbacks than progress, to be quite honest about it. The plan we are discussing is more ambitious than many I have seen before. I know Mr. Aughey will stick at it but perhaps we could take up in private session the question of how what he has put forward can become more than just a very novel, interesting proposal. I realise that Mr. Aughey means business but it is a matter of how the Oireachtas should proceed. He has set out his proposal. As with Senator Ó Donnghaile, I would like to know the current status of the proposal. It is a game changer. It is brand new. Mr. Aughey is looking after the north west. I am conscious of the Dublin–Dundalk–Belfast rail corridor but the north west must not be isolated, especially in light of Brexit. I am going to keep a firm eye on this matter. We will be judged by our progress. I realise that this is a big issue for the next generation but we have to start making progress sooner rather than later in real terms. I thank Mr. Aughey for his presentation.