Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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The opening of the western rail corridor line would bring huge economic benefits to an entire region, particularly in terms of addressing regional imbalance and bringing economic development to the entire western corridor. A reopened western rail corridor would link every population centre in the west to the rest of the country and enable more people to commute sustainably. It could play a critical role in the development of the airport in Knock as a major transport and logistical hub in the west.

We understand there is a lot of work to be done in respect of this. The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020-2032 recognises the strategic importance of the western rail corridor as a growth enabler for the northern and western region and its potential to link the economies of the larger urban centres along the western seaboard from Limerick all the way up to Sligo. The regional policy objectives refer specifically to the regeneration of the western rail corridor from Athenry to Claremorris and then from Claremorris to Sligo. All development plans in the counties in the northern and western region must align to these particular regional policy objectives. We need to ensure this happens. We are asking for a commitment from the Government that it intends to continue to work to reopen the western rail corridor and not to do so in a piecemeal fashion but to make a commitment and put the money in place to develop this strategic infrastructure.

My youngest son goes to college in Limerick. If he wants to go on the train to Limerick he must first go on a train to Dublin and then on to Limerick. It is a ridiculous situation. The other day I spoke to a man receiving cancer care. Everyone from Donegal all along the western seaboard who needs to get cancer care must go to Galway. Some of them travel hundreds of miles. There is a very poor bus service for them to use. Many people who have cancer are not in a position to drive to receive care. If a rail service were in place it would resolve many issues for many people. Above all it would be of great economic benefit to the region. We need to see a Government commitment on this.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. I thank my colleague Deputy Kenny for also raising it. There are a number of issues involved. We know the all-island rail review is due for publishing. I also understand an environmental assessment of the review must be done. I ask that the assessment be done as quickly as possible and that the consultations are completed within a couple of months. I understand there are some implications in terms of having Stormont up and running again. This is very important. We can do the work to the point this becomes necessary. If ministerial approval is required for the report perhaps we can look at another framework. I appeal to the DUP to get the Executive back up and running. This is very important because of the funding we can leverage from the EU. As regions in transition, the North and north west can lever 60% funding. If we match this with Exchequer funding and other funding, and there will also be possibilities under PEACE PLUS as we continue the western rail corridor, it will be very important.

People in rural Ireland want to play their part in climate action and what needs to be done. They cannot do so without the alternatives. I ask the Government to give us the alternative of being able to travel by rail and have the western rail corridor open, for all of the reasons outlined by Deputy Kenny, including accessing hospitals where services are centralised. There are great opportunities with the Atlantic Technological University, Knock airport and the strategic development zone. All of these fit together. The western rail corridor is the catalyst for all of these things to happen and to maximise opportunities along the Atlantic economic corridor. I ask the Minister of State to make it a priority. We cannot wait any longer for this to happen. If we make it a priority we will all work together.

I know the Regional Group and many others here feel the same way about it. There is cross-party support for this project, which is quite unusual. We just need to get the project started and the corridor reopened.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to address this issue and to provide the House with an update on the future development of the western rail corridor. As the Deputies may be aware, services have been operating between Limerick and Athenry via Ennis on a section of the western rail corridor since 2010.

In 2021, two reports were published in respect of the proposed reopening of the western rail corridor, phases 2 and 3, and the Minister for Transport brought the conclusions of both of those reports to Government in December 2020. The first of these is known as the EY report. It was commissioned by Iarnród Éireann in line with a decision of the previous Government. This report consisted of a financial and economic appraisal of the potential reopening of the western rail corridor, phases 2 and 3, which would have extended the line to Tuam and Claremorris. The report estimated that the capital cost of reopening the line would be approximately €260 million but that the economic return on investment would be poor.

Alongside the EY report, the Department of Transport commissioned an independent review by JASPERS. The latter is an agency established by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to assist member states in making investments in European regions, such as in the west of Ireland. The JASPERS review concluded that the findings of the EY report were not unreasonable. In the context of the projected costs and demand - areas of the EY report which were subject to some public criticism - the JASPERS review found them to be within reasonable ranges, although perhaps based on a design solution and operational plan that might be considered overly optimistic.

There are four key observations of the JASPERS review that should be focused upon in particular. JASPERS noted that the proposed reopening of the western rail corridor did not address any identified social or transport constraint, did not sit within any broader strategic framework for the development of rail in Ireland, did not contribute toward our climate action objectives and would not attract EU funding in its present form.

Noting the conclusion in the JASPERS review that there was a lack of strategic context for planning investment in the heavy rail network, in 2021 the Minister for Transport, in partnership with the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, announced his intention to undertake an all-island strategic rail review. This review is considering how the rail network on the island of Ireland can promote sustainable connectivity into, and between, the major cities, enhance regional accessibility and support balanced regional development. The review is examining how the railways are used, how they could be used in future and how the network can evolve to serve the people on the island of Ireland and achieve policy goals. Among other disused and closed lines, the review is considering the potential reopening of the western rail corridor.

Work on the review is now at an advanced stage. However, before the review can be formally approved, it will require consideration under relevant environmental regulations, in particular the strategic environmental assessment, SEA, regulations. If the review is screened in for SEA, as anticipated, a draft of the review will be published for statutory public consultation in the coming months.

Following the completion of environmental regulatory procedures and finalisation of the report on foot of the public consultation, the review will be submitted for the formal approval of the Minister for Transport and, ultimately, it will be submitted to Government, as well as to the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Should there continue to be an absence of Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive, approval will be considered taking into account the decision-making framework set out in the Northern Ireland Act 2022 or relevant legislation in place at the time. It is expected that the final review will be published in the second half of 2023 and will establish the strategic context for investment in regional and rural rail identified as lacking by JASPERS at the time of the EY western rail corridor report.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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On the report that was done, I am long enough around to know that when consultants are employed to carry out reviews, they very often have in mind what the result is going to be before they actually carry it out. That is very much the case in regard to the reviews that were put in place here. There has long been a reluctance on behalf of the Department of Transport to have anything to do with developing our rail system across the entire island, particularly in respect of the western rail corridor. We are all grown-up enough to recognise that. We need to recognise there is a serious issue in respect of this.

There is one particular aspect that we need to look at. I invite the Minister of State to make a commitment that the existing railway track that has been closed down around the country would not be used for anything else, and I am particularly interested in the 47-mile rail line that runs from Collooney to Claremorris. It is similar to other rail lines throughout the country. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. Here in Dublin, we are now developing tram systems. However, not that many generations ago, all the tramlines were dug up and thrown away. When they are there, we need to keep them. I welcome the rail review that is taking place. We need to wait until we get that done. We need to ensure that we protect the existing lines that are there for the future.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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I would also refer to the report done by Professor John Bradley and the work he did in proving this was a viable, shovel-ready project, and that the costings of it were much less than what was cited in the other reports. I cannot tell the Minister of State how important it is, as Deputy Kenny said, to keep the existing rail network from Claremorris to Collooney. Let us not make the mistake of using that for anything else. It has to be left in place. It can be proven quickly how intact it is and how valuable it will be in the extension of the railway. It is obvious that we cannot tackle the serious issue of climate change without public transport and we cannot do that in the west without the western rail corridor.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As highlighted previously, and noting the conclusion in the JASPERS review that there was a lack of strategic context for planning investment in the heavy rail network in 2021 the Minister for Transport, in partnership with the Minister for Infrastructure, announced his intention to undertake an all-island strategic rail review. This review is considering how the rail network on the island of Ireland can promote sustainable connectivity between the major cities, enhance regional accessibility and support balanced regional development. The review is examining how the railways are used, how they could be used in future and how the network can evolve to serve the people on the island of Ireland and achieve policy goals.

The review is being conducted on an all-island basis, in full co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure. It will, therefore, provide a holistic overview of the potential of rail on the island. The review is considering the scope for improved rail services and infrastructure along the various existing and potential future corridors of the network, including disused and closed lines. The review will establish the framework for investment in disused lines in the coming decades and, until it is complete, no work will be undertaken on such lines that might preclude any future reopening.

It is clear that the all-island strategic rail review is going to the roadmap going forward. There is certainly a commitment from this Government and from the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to improve our public transport and there is a sharp consciousness of the situation on the western side of the island and further afield. The potential for this to be an all-Ireland project is not lost on anyone. With the roadmap of the written review, with our commitment and with these various priorities, I hope that we will see significant improvement in the future.