Mr. Brendan Quinn:

I thank Mr. Mulligan. I will be very quick in making my concluding comments. I thank the Chair and other members for listening. I thank my fellow petitioners, including those in the Gallery, for making the trip.

All we are asking for is that our message be taken to the Oireachtas, the Department, TII and all those involved in any decision-making on this. There is a wasted asset sitting idle. It has been sitting idle for the best part of 50 years. We know there are those who want to see the railway reopened but we cannot wait another 50 years for what might happen. Therefore, this is our message: if the railway is going to be reopened from Athenry to Claremorris, then get on with it, and at the same time put in a parallel greenway – a perfectly safe and feasible option. If the railway is to be put on the permanent long finger, with can-kicking, and will not happen for ten or 20 years, at best, let us have a greenway now until such time as a railway is possible from Athenry to Tuam and onwards to Milltown and Claremorris.

North of Claremorris, Mayo County Council needs to grasp the nettle, as Sligo County Council has done. The Department should make it clear to Mayo County Council that the route from Claremorris to Charlestown should be greenway, with accommodation made for a greenway parallel to the Velorail project for about 6 km at Kiltimagh.

Greenways on closed railways are not rocket science; they are a proven, winning formula. I was walking on them in Derbyshire when I was eight years old, which is more years ago than I care to remember. The Western Rail Trail will bring a tourism-related economic boom to the area from Collooney to Athenry and the region as a whole. Let us just get on with it. I thank members for listening. We would welcome any questions they have.