Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would also refer to the report done by Professor John Bradley and the work he did in proving this was a viable, shovel-ready project, and that the costings of it were much less than what was cited in the other reports. I cannot tell the Minister of State how important it is, as Deputy Kenny said, to keep the existing rail network from Claremorris to Collooney. Let us not make the mistake of using that for anything else. It has to be left in place. It can be proven quickly how intact it is and how valuable it will be in the extension of the railway. It is obvious that we cannot tackle the serious issue of climate change without public transport and we cannot do that in the west without the western rail corridor.

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