Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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The Minister of State at the Department of Health, with responsibility for mental health and older people, Deputy Mary Butler, is very welcome to the House.

Our next Commencement matter is in the name of Senator Lisa Chambers and it relates to the western rail corridor.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to the Chamber. I understand the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, is at Cabinet this morning so I appreciate her taking this matter. My question is in relation to the western rail corridor which I have raised on numerous occasions in this Chamber. Last week, quite disappointingly, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Naughton, both attended an EU meeting where they welcomed the inclusion of Galway Port and the Navan rail line onto the EU Ten-T core network map - which is basically every member state identifying what their core transport network is in the country - and they did not see fit to mention the western rail corridor or to take the opportunity to include it on the Ten-T map. The western rail corridor used to be on that map. It was removed by the former Minister for Transport, an Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, and we have been campaigned to have it on the map ever since. My question relates to what the Minister of State proposes to do to get the western rail corridor onto the Ten-T map and to the all-island rail review in which the western rail corridor is currently languishing waiting to get the green light from Government for money to get this project off the ground.

My questions then are on the western rail corridor, Ten-T network map and the all-island rail review.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, I thank Senator Chambers for the opportunity to address this issue in the House today. While I am not all over the detail of it, I have a prepared answer from the Minister who, as the Senator quite rightly said, is currently in Cabinet. I am aware the Senator has raised this issue on many occasions. As a colleague of hers for many years, I know she has continued to raise this issue and I am hoping there is something in the reply that might satisfy her.

As the Senator is aware, two reports were published in relation to the proposed reopening of the western rail corridor phases two and three and the Minister for Transport brought the conclusions of both these reports to Government in December 2020. The first is known as the EY report which was commissioned by Iarnród Éireann in line with the decision of the previous Government. This report consisted of a financial and economic appraisal of the potential reopening of the western rail corridor in phases two and three. There was criticism of some aspects of that report, particularly by those who advocated for a reopening of the corridor. However, as it has been said, two reports were published and the second is known as the Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions, JASPERS, review. JASPERS 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 the west of Ireland. In October 2020, the JASPERS review concluded that the findings of the EY report were not unreasonable. On the projected cost and demand, areas of the EY report, which were subject to some public criticism, were found by the JASPERS review to be within reasonable ranges although perhaps based on a design solution and operational plan which might be considered overly optimistic. However, in its four key observations of the JASPERS review, that in my mind should be particularly focused upon, the agency notes 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 towards our climate action objectives; and would not attract EU funding in its present form. As any of those observations would be important to a proposed investment of hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money, to have all four observed about a proposal is clearly a concern. Noting the conclusion in the JASPERS review, that there was a lack of strategic context for planning investment in the heavy rail network, the Minister for Transport, in partnership with the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, announced in 2021 his intention to undertake an all-Ireland strategic rail review. This review considers how the rail network on the island of Ireland can improve in order to promote sustainability, connectivity, enhanced regional accessibility between the major cities, and support balanced regional development. The review examines how the railways are used, how they could be used in future, and how the network can evolve to serve the people of the island of Ireland while achieving policy goals.I refer to rail networks and the trans-European transport network, TEN-T, map. The Department of Transport indicated to the European Commission that its position on TEN-T rail network would be informed by the results of the ongoing all-Ireland strategic rail review and that it was hoped the outcome of the review would be reflected in the map. The strategic rail review is being undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and it will inform the development of the railway sector on the island of Ireland in the coming decades. The review will consider the potential scope for improved rail services along various existing or future corridors of the network. That scope includes the western rail corridor and connectivity with Northern Ireland. Work on the review is at an advanced stage and a key consideration of the analysis is how the rail network can support regional and rural connectivity. The Minister for Transport is looking forward to the draft report of the review being made available shortly and it will be published once it receives appropriate ministerial approval on both sides of the Border.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. Three reports have been published on the western rail corridor in recent times. The Minister of State rightly referred to the EY report, which has been completely discredited. As to the response it received, to say there was criticisms of some aspects of the report is being very kind. I will not delve into it further on this occasion.

I often wonder how the JASPERS review might have viewed Knock Airport when it was in its infancy. The airport would not have been built if the same approach had been taken in analysing the prospective success of such projects in a region such as the west.

What is missing from the Minister of State's reply is the Bradley report on the western rail corridor that was commissioned by West=On=Track. It provided Professor John Bradley's appraisal of the economic and social benefits of the western rail corridor and showed that not only would it be financially viable, but it would bring social and economic benefit to the region. It would do exactly what the Government says it wants to do, that is, to connect the region and bring balanced regional development.

We have been told for quite some time that the draft report can be expected imminently. It would be welcome to have an approximate date as to when we can expect to see the report. I have grave concerns about ministerial approval, North and South, being required to publish the report. There is no a functioning Executive in Northern Ireland and we do not know when we will get one. We cannot allow this to constrain us from progressing an important project for an entire region.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Senator has raised three valid points, including the fact that three reports were commissioned but only two were referred to. She mentioned Professor John Bradley's report, which I will certainly raise with the Department of Transport.

She is correct in that it is an approximate date for the publishing of the draft report. The Minister expects to receive a draft report of the review shortly. The intention is to publish it as soon as possible thereafter in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, whose Minister would also need to approve the report. With the current situation in Northern Ireland, this could be problematic and delay the whole process. I will also raise this with the Department of Transport. I thank the Senator for raising this matter.

Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail)
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I will make a final plea. When looking at the rail network map for the country, an entire region - the west and north west - does not feature. County Donegal has no rail link, County Monaghan has no rail link and the service to County Mayo is fairly limited, yet we have emissions reduction targets in transport of 75%. That will not be achievable if we do not connect one third of the country by rail link.

As to the requirement of ministerial approval from Northern Ireland, the message needs to get back to the Minister for Transport that he needs to go back to the drawing board on this matter. It is unacceptable that we in the Republic would be constrained because of the lack of an Execute in Northern Ireland. That will not wash with the people of the west and north west.