Mr. Stiof?n ? C?l?in:

That is exactly where we need to go in Donegal. The main population base is on the east coast, while many of the tourist attractions are on the west coast. The Wild Atlantic Way has to be commended, as does the work done from Malin Head to Mizen Head by Tourism Ireland and Miriam Kennedy and her team. However, that has to be joined up with the airports as an integral part of the jigsaw. There is a lot of potential there.

Picking up on what Deputy Griffin asked, back in the 1930s and 1940s there was a rail link between Derry and Burtonport. Burtonport is very close to Donegal Airport. That is an old route and a large part of the rail line is still in place. A greenway could be developed there. I do not know what it would cost. Mr. Martin would know a lot more about that. I remember when we looked at it back in the 1980s we were talking about €25 million. A walking route and cycling route could be developed, linking North and South from Derry to Burtonport. It would be innovative and fantastic for the county of Donegal. It would attract a lot of people. In my opinion, it would be much more attractive than the Camino, much of which is on tarmac. It should be looked at as it could be done all along the west coast. There could be heritage trails throughout counties Mayo, Galway and Donegal. They are all there. They just need to be linked together, marketed and tied into the infrastructure that is there - the railheads.

What has happened in Donegal with the Local Link service is very important and should be retained and extended. It made a bit difference in Donegal to have a bus service in place for people coming into the airport. It is a huge county so we need to be able to bring people to the south or the north of the county. When Fáilte Ireland is asked what its surveys say about what attracts people to Ireland, it says that it is the great escapers and the culturally curious who want to come to Ireland. Those types of people can be attracted to the west coast. What we are looking for is to be able to get them there.