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

The all-island strategic rail review, which is being undertaken in co-operation with Northern Ireland's Department for Infrastructure, will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland over the coming decades. This is one of the most significant reviews of the rail network on the island in many years and it will provide a framework to develop a much-improved network for the future. I expect to receive a final report on the review by the end of the year. I believe this is the first time such a review has been conducted on an all-island basis. As such, it will consider the potential of rail from a different perspective than reviews of the past. This all-island perspective will allow us to consider afresh issues such as rail connectivity to the north west, in addition to the potential for high- or higher-speed rail between the island's major cities.

I am a firm believer in the potential of rail to contribute to economic and social development across the island of Ireland, provide faster and more frequent connectivity, connect communities and help us reach our climate goals. I do not think I am alone in that belief. I understand that just over 7,000 responses were received during the recent public consultation on the review. This is a very large response by comparison with responses to similar public engagements. All the responses are being considered and will inform the development of the overall review and offer a genuine insight into the views on, and expectations and hopes for, rail of interested stakeholders across the island.

As Deputy Canney knows, this review started by examining high-speed connectivity between Dublin, Belfast and Cork, but the remit has broadened. It broadened first and foremost to include the issue of connectivity to the north west. I have a particular interest in what I regard to be underutilised lines or sections of lines that could be inserted into the network to make better use of it as a whole.

Rail freight is another aspect that is critical to the wider review. Initially, there was a very narrow focus - on high-speed rail between cities but there is now a much broader remit. That will provide a useful direction in a variety of ways.

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