Seanad debates

Thursday, 5 December 2002

National Spatial Strategy: Statements.

 

As regards decisions made about the plan and infrastructure, I hope the Ministers engage in a think tank. I often wonder about coherence. It seems contradictory to announce the plan after announcing the closure of railway lines such as those between Limerick, Waterford and Rosslare and the Athenry railway line mentioned by my colleagues from the west. We say we want to maintain the current level of rail freight, of which Iarnród Éireann will examine the economics. It may have to make a financial decision under pressure from the Government of the day which may mean closing railway lines which are losing money. That would be a retrograde step. If people set up lead or zinc smelters in this country, they will decide to transport their goods by road rather than by rail for economic reasons. While they should be given every financial encouragement, the planning conditions should stipulate that the material must be transported by rail. That would stop our roads from being clogged up with huge trucks, as happened in the Galmoy case. Freight was transported by road to Cork, although a spur line from Thurles railway station, only eight miles away, would have made it viable to transport it by rail. I am talking about the Lisheen Mine development.

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