Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have two people sitting above, Mr. Daly and Ms Curley, who would not mind anything being connected from Clare to Limerick. Deputy Leddin said the infrastructure is probably not even in east Limerick at present. I welcome connectivity from areas including Adare and Newcastle West.

I welcome Deputy Leddin. I met him in Foynes during the week. There is no infrastructure for Foynes to develop. There was a compulsory purchase order of land for a sewerage system. The witnesses referred to Glin. There is no sewerage system in Foynes or Askeaton. We want to build but we have no infrastructure. What is in place is beyond inadequate and is essentially non-existent. From the point of view of east Limerick, the train passes through Kilmallock and does not stop. There was a train station there and the building is still in place. The mart is adjacent to it. Can the witnesses imagine if places such as Kilmallock had infrastructure? What would it do for the training fire station we looked at in Kilmallock, which had available land if the proper infrastructure existed? What would that have done for our fire service training? There are companies such as Keltic Engineering.

This is not just an issue for Kilmallock. One can go further - people from Kilfinane, Hospital and Bruff could use that connectivity to get into town. The rail line exists and all it needs is a stop so that people can board and go. A second line could be put in alongside it so that commercial businesses in Kilmallock could use the freight train to transport their goods to the port. Why could it not be used? The rail line is there. I spoke to Deputy Leddin about this during the week. He said he will cycle out to meet me there. He wants me to cycle too but I might use an engine.