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

I thank my colleagues, Deputies Ó Murchú and O'Rourke, for allowing me in today. I really wanted to be here to discuss this matter. Obviously like Deputy Calleary, I am from Mayo. In the context of its importance to the Atlantic economic corridor, is the western rail corridor shovel ready if the funding were to be provided tomorrow morning? I have read the report by Dr. John Bradley and other reports which make a strong business case for it. If population is to be the overriding variable in any cost-benefit analysis, we will never get anything done. We in the west and in Mayo are getting really tired of the doublespeak about the western rail corridor and the Atlantic economic corridor. I was delighted with the Atlantic economic corridor because I thought at last this is the vital piece of infrastructure on which we can hang everything. We know where we are going and there is a strategic joined-up approach here. I commended Government and everybody involved on it. I will come to Mr. Devane shortly. Where has that gone? Why is there so much doublespeak on these projects and initiatives? The first question is: is the Atlantic economic corridor shovel ready?