Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is a timeline. I said that the all-island rail review mentioned a start date of 2030. However, with the review of the national development plan, and in view of the fact that the project does not need planning permission or a rail order, it is a project that can be implemented a lot quicker than that. I hope to talk to and continue to engage with officials. In the context of the national development plan, we hope to ensure that this project gets going as soon as possible.

As we said earlier, it is important that we are a Government of implementation rather than one that does strategies. We need to implement the plans we have. We have the money to invest. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, this is a project that will connect Ballina, Westport, Castlebar, Claremorris, Tuam and Athenry, and will run down into Limerick and Cork Port, over to Waterford Port, out to Foynes and into Galway. It is bringing back that link to give us connectivity along the Atlantic economic corridor. I will be working with might and main to achieve that in the shortest time possible.

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