Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The next petition is No. 30 of 2023 for the creation of a walking and cycling greenway on the closed railway from Sligo to Athenry from Mr. Brendan Quinn. I see Mr. Quinn and Mr. John Mulligan, campaigner for the greenway, in the Public Gallery. I welcome them to the proceedings.

This petition relates to the closed railway line from Collooney, County Sligo to Athenry, County Galway. The line has been closed for more than four decades and is lying in waste. People along the route in small towns and villages in the west of Ireland want to see something happen. The petition has garnered slightly more than 26,000 signatures. The petitioner refers to the success that greenways on old railway lines can achieve and that a new facility reinventing the closed railway line will bring civic pride to these towns and villages, creating a public space to enjoy. The petitioner is calling on the Minister for Transport to act now to put this route that has lain redundant for more than 40 years to good use as a greenway in the interests of local communities and in the interests of our tourism industry until it might be possible to have a railway along the route. The petitioner also asks that, in the event the railway is ever restored, that a greenway be incorporated to run alongside any restored railway lines.

The case manager wrote to the Department of Transport. In the reply it was noted that the closed railway line was part of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review commissioned in 2021, which was undertaken in cooperation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The report recommends the reinstatement of the rail line from Athenry, County Galway to Claremorris, County Mayo. While reinstatement of the line from Athenry to Claremorris does not necessarily prevent development of a greenway along this section of rail corridor, the feasibility of a greenway beside the rail line would need to be assessed with key stakeholders. Development of a greenway between Charlestown and Collooney is underway with Sligo greenway, from Collooney to Bellaghy, at the early stages of planning. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, has responsibility for funding, planning and designing greenways.

The committee recommends the correspondence from the Department of Transport be sent to the petitioner for comment within 14 days. Do members have any views?