Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In a week when serious questions have arisen as to whether we can deliver a ring road for Galway, an issue that one expects will be immersed in a quagmire of planning and legal issues for many years to come, it is now time to focus on the things we can deliver that will improve the quality of life of people who live in Galway city and county. I asked the Minister in September 2020 to look into the feasibility of double-tracking the rail line from Athenry to Galway, thus greatly improving the capacity, flexibility and reliability of that service, and he committed then to carrying out a feasibility study, which would report in mid-2021. It has been two years since I asked that question and still there is no report. I have been told by the Minister of State with responsibility for the NTA that the feasibility study for the double-tracking of Athenry to Oranmore is somehow now attached to the national all-island rail review.

It is time we urgently focused on the things we can deliver that will deliver significant change and great improvement in the quality of life for people who live in Galway city and county. We need to unshackle those projects from other analyses, reports and reviews that will be ongoing for many years to come.

We need to deliver what needs to be delivered right now.

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