Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I am very pleased to contribute to these important statements on the all-island rail review recommendations. This is a chance to make a generational change, transform people's lives, connect people and communities across the island, strengthen our economy and, importantly, reduce our carbon emissions.

Fianna Fáil welcomes this work, which was undertaken by the Department of Transport and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The Belfast-Dublin line highlights the shared ambition to deliver a decarbonised, modern rail system by 2050. The 32 recommendations are comprehensive. They envision faster trains, new and reopened lines and, ultimately, a tripling of rail journeys. It is essential that all of us here, as public representatives, make sure that no community is left behind.

That brings me to County Louth, which occupies a unique and pivotal position in the conversation around rail investment and connectivity on the island. We are the bridge between Belfast and Dublin and the gateway to the north east. The region has been experiencing enormous demographic change and economic growth and dynamism. Louth is the fastest growing county in Ireland. Drogheda is now the our largest town, with Dundalk a very close second. We will soon eclipse some of the regional cities. Mid-Louth communities like Dunleer are expanding rapidly as well, as is that town's need for housing. Dunleer is close to both Dublin and Belfast, and also close to the economic hubs of Dundalk and Drogheda. The Enterprise service has been increased and is so much of a success that we need more services and more carriages on the line because there is standing room only in the trains.

We have to be very clear when we are implementing this review. We need to make sure the specific needs of Louth's communities are at the forefront. The Department of Transport and Iarnród Éireann need to increase the rolling stock on the Belfast line, strengthen existing demand for train services and make sure there is capacity to deal with a surge in the number of people moving to Louth over the next couple of years. It is also time to make sure we have footprint stations and extra stations in the county. The growth in north Drogheda means there are thousands of new homes and thousands more people in the area. They need to be able to access rail easier. There is potential to open the line at Dunleer and open a new train station in north Drogheda. We need an extra station in Louth given the growth in the population growth and the importance of the county.

I look forward to working with the Minister of State. I have worked with Irish Rail and raised concerns with it about resourcing and expanding the rail services from Dundalk to Dublin and Dundalk to Belfast. I wish the Minister of State luck in his new role. He has our support in the House.

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