Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)

The question was how the Minister was going to ensure that is regionally balanced. In terms of regional balance, one issue I have repeatedly raised is overcrowding on rail services between Athenry and Galway. We have the passing loop coming at Oranmore, which is welcome, but it will be some time before that is delivered and ultimately, we need full double-tracking of that section between Athenry and Galway City. I urge the Minister to ensure that is included in his plan. In the short term, we have a real crisis for commuters travelling into Galway city from Athenry, as I have previously raised with the Minister. The 7.49 a.m. service from Athenry is the first morning service into Galway city. In recent weeks some services have been completely sold out. People have been left behind at platforms and people actually have been injured as a result of overcrowding. As these are people who work at the hospital in Galway and students who are forced to commute into the city because of accommodation shortages, a reliable rail service is absolutely critical to them. We do not have the capacity at present. When I previously raised this with the Minister, he said he would engage with Irish Rail on this issue. Can he provide an update on that and if any short-term solutions will be implemented?

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