Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

There were five options recommended by the assessment study. The first was removing underground restriction between the swallow hole and spring and ancillary works. The second was attenuation of some flows at Rossroe and Fin loughs. The third was diverting the Rossroe Lough sub-catchment flow towards the Ratty river catchment along with removing the underground restriction between the swallow hole and the spring. The fourth was raising the existing railway embankment in the vicinity of Ballycar Lough. The fifth was pumping of flood flows from the swallow hole to the spring. Option 2, attenuation of some flows at Rossroe and Fin loughs, along with removal of restriction between the swallow hole and spring and ancillary works, was the one that was identified in the report and is the preferred option.

The next stage is for funding to be obtained. The indicative duration of the project would be between seven and ten years. It is not a straightforward project. The primary purpose of the project is to protect the railway line between two cities, as the Deputy says, Limerick and Galway. It is recognised that this connection has been interrupted on a large number of occasions over the last decade.

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