Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his Department's views on the need to provide rail infrastructure to the north west; the current status and future plan for the all-island strategic rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1917/23]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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13. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the all-Ireland strategic rail review to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1720/23]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the progress of the all-island strategic rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2145/23]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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70. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his proposed timeline to publish the strategic rail review. [1795/23]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will be well aware of the deficiency in public transport in the north west. There has been a chronic underinvestment in public transport in the region, which is a persistent problem. Its impact has been laid bare during the cost-of-living crisis. Households in the north west are bearing the brunt of the increase in private transport costs because of the lack of reliable and available public transport. I ask the Minister to outline his view and that of the Department on the need to provide rail infrastructure in the north west, in particular in the context of the all-island rail review.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 13, 23 and 70 together.

As the Deputies are aware, the strategic rail review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The results of the review will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland over the coming decades. A draft report is currently being finalised by the consultants for submission to the Departments. The finalised draft report will then be submitted for approval to both Ministers and ultimately the Government and the Executive. Once these necessary approvals have been secured, I will obviously then publish the report.

As Deputies are aware, the strategic rail review is considering the future of the rail network with regard to the following ambitions: improving sustainable connectivity between the major cities, including the potential for higher and high-speed, enhancing regional accessibility, supporting balanced regional development and rail connectivity to our international gateways. This also includes the role of rail freight.

The review is considering the scope for improved rail services and infrastructure along the various existing, or potential future, corridors of the network including disused and closed lines. The review has been informed by a public consultation process which concluded last year, and which received a great response both North and South. The Government has previously stated its belief in the potential of rail. It is important that we address constraints in the rail sector and pursue a strategy that allows rail to fulfil its potential as a sustainable mode of transport as we move to decarbonise the transport sector, as well as meeting rural connectivity objectives and as a generator of prosperity for people across Ireland.

The strategic rail review will assist in and inform that, and I look forward to its completion. It is the first all-island review of the network since the foundation of the State and will provide a framework to develop a much-improved rail network in the decades ahead.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister knows that partition contributed to a large-scale closure of services North and South, on both sides of the Border, in particular in the north west. Now we only have a single eastern-based North-South rail corridor on the island. This imbalance is further laid bare by the fact that of the 54 stations in the Northern Six Counties, only three are situated west of the Bann. In Donegal, the situation is far more dire. Rail is simply not an option in Donegal with direct consequences, as the Minister knows, in terms of the social and economic life of the county. We hope that the steering group will seek to provide recommendations to address this acute regional imbalance and that the reviewers also examine proposals that we have submitted to bring forward recommendations relating to directly connecting Dublin to Derry and, by extension, to Donegal. Derry is the fourth largest city on the island of Ireland. The fact that it is not directly connected to Dublin is a major issue. This would go to the heart of addressing the imbalance.

The Minister is a frequent visitor to Donegal. Does he believe that we need a direct rail connection between the capital city and the north-west region?

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Counties like Galway, Mayo and Sligo are home to more than 500,000 people and linking these three counties directly via rail would make an enormous difference in terms of connectivity to the west, while connecting them to the south would go a long way towards tackling regional imbalance. We can create a strong rail link between the west and south, and that can only benefit industry, commuters and the economy as a whole. A very positive opportunity is presenting itself with the westward extension of the Foynes to Limerick line, just as we are doing with DART+ and the new stations in Waterford, Oranmore and Moyross.

We cannot continue to delay the publication of the all-Ireland strategic review. Given the deep-rooted insecurities, along with the Northern Ireland Executive not being established, we need to see progress in this area.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We all accept the absolute necessity of an all-island rail review and the fact that partition has had a huge impact. We have all seen the maps of Ireland where on the western coast there is nothing in terms of any level of rail connectivity. This obviously relates not only to partition but planning failures over many years.

Alongside this, whether I was canvassing in Armagh where people discussed the lack of rail service there or my home town, Dundalk, we welcome the fact that the Enterprise service is to be scaled up. We are somewhat worried about the timeline. Obviously, sooner is always better. It is a matter of moving to electrification and ensuring we have a Dublin to Belfast service that is at least hourly. The quicker that happens, the better. There are multiple other issues that all need to be addressed.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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To answer Deputy Doherty's question, we should look at returning rail connectivity to Donegal and improving it to the north west. This will not be cheap. I had a series of meetings with ARUP and the UK rail transport expert who was asked by the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson to examine some large projects.

I thought providing access to Donegal would see the development of the existing line on the north Antrim coast. In those discussions, what started to come into view was the possibility of a spur from Portadown through Dungannon, Omagh and Strabane. An historical connection involving Monaghan took that route. The line would have to have a spur to Letterkenny in order to ensure a connection to Donegal. It would be transformative for the relationship between Letterkenny and Derry, as well as Strabane, Omagh and Dungannon. It would be of huge benefit to the island and would improve island connectivity.

It would be very expensive because we would need to build a new line even though there is an existing line, which the Deputy knows from driving up and down the road. The UK Government would be the key funders of such a line, but in terms of the strategic long-term development of the island it has huge potential and I look forward to seeing what the final conclusions are. Yesterday, I asked for a copy of the latest draft report to see how detailed or specific the idea that is being advanced is. In my mind, it is the right strategic view in terms of where rail could return in importance to our island and would be transformative, in particular in providing access to the north west.

A report started looking at high-speed connectivity between Belfast, Dublin and Cork. There was then a political commitment to look further to the north west and other parts of the island. That search, looking to the north west, has drawn the possibility of that route. It would be transformative for the towns, counties and country that it would run through.

In response to Deputy Dillon, when we start thinking strategically about our national rail network, we have existing lines that are hardly used. One such line is the Waterford to Limerick line. Lord knows how many billions it would cost to build if we had to build it today. We face a strategic question of whether we abandon it. In my mind, the answer is "No". We need to extend it, something which is happening in terms of the services from Limerick to Ennis and Athenry. The section between Athenry and Claremorris is not just about those two counties. Rather, it is part of a longer route from Ballina and Westport through Claremorris down to Waterford and Wexford. The western rail corridor is not just a small section between Athenry and Claremorris; it comprises an entire route. In that context, it starts to make sense.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the commitment of the Minister. I am particularly conscious that he is the Minister who has responsibility for this important area. We all await the outcome of the all-island strategic review. There are many views on how we connect the north west. That is probably a discussion for another day, but it is the principle we have to have first.

I remember meeting the European Commissioner for Transport about 15 years ago, long before I was elected to Dáil Éireann. I showed him a map of Ireland. He pointed to the north west on the map and asked whether it was a barren area because there were no rail lines or motorways. Unfortunately, there is still no motorway or dual carriageway.

Obviously, there are different views on how to connect the region. The Navan rail line could be connected to Derry with a spur to Letterkenny. The key point is that the north west has to be connected. It is not just about rail infrastructure; it is also about prosperity. This year, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. We will talk about a quarter of a century of peace. However, there was also a commitment on prosperity. Donegal, the north west and Strabane comprise one of the most deprived areas on the island of Ireland. This infrastructure can change things. It will be a social good and can also do good in terms of the environment while, crucially, lifting prosperity for people living in the region.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister's positive comments. This week, Cabinet approval was granted for a €750 million project on the Navan rail line as part of the greater Dublin area transport plan, while the western rail corridor still sits in an unpublished rail review report. Reopening the Athenry-Claremorris line should proceed in advance of the rail review. We cannot wait for the Northern Ireland Government to sort itself out. It may never sort itself out. It is inconceivable that the Government sees itself as being prevented from acting in the interests of the people of the west of Ireland by the DUP.

Precedent exists in terms of the extension of the Foynes line. Athenry and Claremorris should be completed to coincide with the Oranmore loop and Galway station upgrade by 2025. Dáil Éireann and the Government decide on infrastructure investments against a background of cross-party consensus for action to revitalise the western rail corridor. I ask for the support of the Minister on this.

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Could we have a timeline on the report? Can the obstacle produced by the DUP by not allowing an Executive to be in place and Ministers to be in their roles doing the necessary jobs for the people be avoided?

Beyond that, I ask the Minister for an update on the rail plans for Dublin, Belfast and beyond to Cork, including electrification. We are still operating on the same timeline in respect of the rail ticketing system, which is obviously necessary from the point of view of producing a tax saver ticketing system. The system operates for people who are now remote working and may only work two or three days a week. There has been a major issue with trying to deliver this and it appears that only a new ticketing system will address it.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Please God, the Assembly will return, but in the absence of that, we do not have full control over what we can do with the report. I have to bow to the diplomatic reality that we are in.

I am glad Deputy Dillon mentioned the reopening of the Foynes line because it is connected to the western rail corridor. We need to think in the long term. The development of Rosslare Port in Wexford is necessary for the development of offshore wind, which means the quayside will have to be developed. We should put the rail line back and reopen the line between Wexford and Waterford. Waterford Port has rail lines right along the quay. Cork Harbour will be a huge area for potential industrial development because of the development of offshore wind. There is rail connectivity right down to the quayside in Marino, which is closed but could be reopened at a relatively low cost. The same could happen in Foynes. There could be major development of the port and rail line right down to the quay.

Strategic development along the corridor I mentioned could involve each of the large deep-water international ports we have, which have existing rail freight capability but hardly any services. The only real services are from Ballina south down to Waterford for forest products, Coca-Cola and some other products. If we could complete this network by reopening the connections to the quaysides and create a spine from the north west to the south east, that would be a strategic investment on the part of the State that makes sense to me. The review did not emphasise rail freight; that was not its key objective.

We are going to have to do a lot more work to look at how rail freight connected to our ports system would work but it definitely could work.

In response to Deputy Doherty as to whether it is through Navan, Portadown, Omagh, Dungannon or Strabane, my personal view is that the Dungannon, Omagh, Strabane route and on to Letterkenny has real potential in terms of what it would do to what are not insignificant towns. As the Deputy said, they have suffered from that lack of connectivity west of the Bann as much as Letterkenny has. My instinct, following the discussions I had with ARUP, is that it would be very expensive because it would be a new line but it would be transformative for the north west.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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That concludes questions to the Minister for Transport. I apologise to those Deputies who have been waiting but we are over time.