Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Regarding housing and infrastructure, rural development comes under the Taoiseach's remit. He knows the importance of funding under the Trans-European Network for Transport, TEN-T. In December 2021, the European Commission published its proposals for a revised TEN-T, which remains largely unchanged. Crucially, it does not include the western rail corridor. Given the core funding of 85% that will be earmarked and provided between now and 2030, the western arc in the revised TEN-T is really important. The west of Ireland and, in particular, the north west is the only region in Ireland that is no longer a developed region. It has been downgraded to a region in transition. We need to see investment in the west and it cannot be shafted in place of the eastern seaboard. We are not looking for one or the other. We are looking for our fair share in the west of Ireland and we need it for transport. Why is there not more emphasis on the west, the north west and the western arc in particular, under TEN-T funding?

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