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

As I am sure the Deputy will be aware, the all-island strategic rail review has been undertaken by my Department in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The review will inform the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades to 2050, in line with net-zero carbon targets in both jurisdictions. Work on the review is now at an advanced stage and a draft report was published for a strategic environmental assessment, SEA, public consultation in July of last year.

The draft report makes 30 recommendations for the rail system across the island out to 2050.

Implementation of these recommendations will result in substantial improvements in the capacity, speed, frequency and reach of the rail system. Journey times by rail will be much reduced and frequency will increase to at least hourly between cities and every two hours on rural and regional routes. The network would be decarbonised including the development and revival of rail freight on the existing network, and also involving the electrification of the intercity routes. There would be the rehabilitation of disused lines, as well as new lines to the north midlands and north west, increasing the size of the rail network, widening accessibility and connectivity through rail.

As part of the draft review, work on reopening the section of the western rail corridor between Athenry and Claremorris is considered and is due to start before the end of this decade. All of this would at least double the market share of rail and enable it to be a stronger backbone of a sustainable public transport system for the people of Ireland.

The public consultation phase of the SEA process concluded on 29 September last year and submissions have been reviewed by officials from both jurisdictions. It is expected that a final review, taking account of the comments raised in the consultation, will be submitted for government approval in both jurisdictions shortly and that the final review report will be published immediately thereafter. I expect that to be concluded before summer recess here. We will co-ordinate with our colleagues in Northern Ireland in that regard. However, my intention is to publish and approve it as soon as possible and then to start the delivery process.

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