James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would be particularly concerned about this issue because we know that Irish Rail has threatened the railway line between Dublin and Rosslare Europort, especially south of Gorey. I would hate to see this as being a badge of convenience for Iarnród Éireann to shut down that railway line. There was a report from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport which said that Irish Rail faces shutting down this railway line due to coastal erosion within ten years if action is not taken.

I note that the Minister of State says it is the responsibility of the local authority. The costs involved in protecting the coastline around this railway line include handling very high cliffs. The local authority would not be in a position to fund that in and of itself. I expect that the Department will properly fund Wexford County Council. We cannot lose that railway line in the face of Brexit. It is vital to the survival and development of Wexford tourism, to the county itself economically and for access to Rosslare Harbour where our roll-on, roll-off trucks will inevitably have to gain access to the Continent.

See this speech in context