Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The land is there. Is there sufficient land along the length of the line to allow a greenway to be put alongside the existing track and, at no additional cost, for the railway line to be left intact? Mr. Stacpoole will know there is a certain village in County Limerick where houses have been built on the old railway line. This is well known. Things happen. They should not, but they do. I take Mr. Mulligan’s point that the contracts are a great deal tighter now, but that rail line can never be got back. It goes through a very historic village in County Limerick. Everyone wants the greenway and the rail track, but on a practical level, is it possible within the existing dimensions? I know and Mr. Lightfoot will know from Limerick that in terms of sweating the assets, as it were, and while I would have an issue with someone nifty who knows, looks at and makes optimum use of existing assets, there was sufficient room to lay a double rail line from Limerick Junction to Limerick city and that is what should have been done. Is it possible at this point for a practical compromise to be reached for the line in question, which is to put a greenway alongside the existing rail line, allow the rail line itself to remain, and when the greenway is being completed, for some works to be done where possible to make the route available for a second rail line or whatever? Can that be done?