Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I will come back on all those points. First, on the western rail corridor, I should have articulated the answer to this query. I am very supportive of us reopening the section from Claremorris to Athenry because I believe it can be part of a strategic switch not only to passenger journeys along that western rail corridor but also to rail freight. This is vital to improve road safety, to stop us having these collisions involving heavy goods vehicles, to decarbonise our transport system and to reduce congestion. There are so many benefits. It is a politically divisive strategy. Not everyone agrees with it and different parties will have to set out their views. Can we really see a revival of rail freight here? We have the lowest level of rail freight of any European country at 1%. The European average would be at least 10%. Can we achieve a tenfold increase in rail freight? I think we can. Infrastructure projects like the western rail corridor are vital to realising this prospect and encouraging business development in the west of Ireland.

The western rail corridor is contained as a recommendation in the strategic rail review. As I recall, it recommended that we start its construction in this decade. It is, therefore, very much centre stage in any recommendations that the likes of the EIB come back regarding which projects we should prioritise. Again, going back to the point about balanced regional development, I think we should prioritise the western rail corridor because it will bring business to the west. That is my own view. There are different views on this matter and it is very much contested. Some people say that rail freight will never work here because the distances are too short. I do not agree with that view because the world is changing and the economics of rail freight are changing too.

Before coming to the question posed about Dublin, it is important to recognise that traffic management measures must come into place in local authority areas right around the country. Sometimes this will involve roads investment as well. We need to invest in our roads for safety and to improve our public realm. I will give an example the Deputy will be familiar with. The town of Carrick-on-Shannon is crippled by the traffic moving through it so many times during the week.