Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I sincerely thank Senator Dooley and Senator Conway, who used the Chair's prerogative to also advocate for this important project. As the Senator may be aware, the Minster for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport including rail. However, the operation, maintenance and renewal of the rail network and stations on the network, including the former station at Crusheen, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance. TII does not have any responsibility for the heavy rail network.

As the Senator will be aware, the Department of Transport has undertaken the all-island strategic rail review in co-operation with the Northern Irish Department for Infrastructure. The review’s final report was published on the 31 July this year and will inform the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades to 2050, in line with net-zero targets in both jurisdictions. The final report sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050. The reopening of the train station at Crusheen is not included in the review’s recommendations. The review considered options to connect as many towns with populations of 10,000 or more to the rail network as possible.A threshold of towns with a population of 10,000 was chosen as this is the threshold used by Ireland's national planning framework as the definition of a large town. Given that Crusheen fell below this threshold by about 4,000, a new station for the area was not considered in detail as part of the review.

Outside of these recommendations, the delivery of any rail infrastructure, including the proposed train station at Crusheen, involves a multi-agency approach in the planning, design, funding and construction of a scheme. To protect the taxpayer, there are also guidelines on and requirements in place surrounding the release of funds for capital infrastructure projects which must be adhered to by all agencies wishing to draw down public funds. These are set out under the infrastructural guidelines drawn up by the Department of public expenditure.

Before Iarnród Éireann can receive public funding to proceed with any rail infrastructure scheme, the following conditions must be met. The proposal must align with transport and planning policy, a full demand assessment must be included as an input to the business case and the proposal must have a robust business case in line with the infrastructure guidelines as well as the transport specific sector appraisal guidelines, the transport appraisal framework.

While Clare County Council, as outlined by the Senator, have commissioned and recently completed an independent socioeconomic appraisal of the benefits of reopening Crusheen railway station, Iarnród Éireann's review of this work is ongoing. Iarnród Éireann will continue to keep the case for a railway station at Crusheen under review, in line with future demand trends, but at present there is no provision for a station within the current funding profile.

I will attempt to be encouraging because Senators Dooley and Conway eloquently summed up the need to move towards more rail infrastructure and to re-embrace rail, not just to meet demand but to also work towards net zero and get cars off the road. The case set out by Senator Dooley noted the population of Crusheen but also took into account the wider hinterland. That is important and I am more than happy to engage further with the Senator and to bring this to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, and Iarnród Éireann. I give every encouragement to the ongoing work on this project.