Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Senator. I am replying to him on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for international road transport, logistics, rail and ports, Deputy Canney. The Senator has done a lot of work on this issue, which he has raised on a number of occasions. As I have no doubt he is aware, the final report of the all-island strategic rail review, which was undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, was published last year. The review will inform the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades, up to 2050, in line with the net carbon zero targets for both jurisdictions. In order to meet these targets, the review sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland on a phased basis.The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new and reinstated routes. Included in these recommendations is the reinstatement of the western rail corridor between Claremorris and Athenry. The reinstatement of this line has the potential to support both passenger and rail freight services, allowing a direct route for freight services from Ballina and Westport to ports on the south coast which avoid the more congested part of the rail network around Dublin. This would also reconnect Tuam to the railway and enable direct passenger services between Galway and Mayo. It should be noted that individual programmes and projects referred to in the final review report will be advanced, subject to funding and relevant approvals, as required under the infrastructure guidelines in Ireland.

Assisted by the European Investment Bank advisory services, the Department of Transport in Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and agencies North and South are working to progress the report’s recommendations in the years ahead. This is to help optimise the sequencing and implementation of the proposed investments. Progress in following up on the rail review will be reported on as appropriate through the North-South Ministerial Council.