Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Transport when he expects to report to Government on the Iarnród Éireann business plans relating to phase 1 and phase 2 of the western rail corridor project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25590/06]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress on commencing works on the Ennis to Athenry rail-link: when he expects work to commence on the project; and the costs involved. [26224/06]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Transport if he favours the bringing forward of proposals for phase one and phase two of the west-on-track proposals for the line from Claremorris to Ennis with regard to the rail proposals within Transport 21; and if he will release funds to Iarnród Éireann to enable them to commence the necessary works for the provision of a new railway station at Oranmore, County Galway. [26487/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 445, 471 and 483 together.

Transport 21 provides for the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor in 3 phases, Ennis to Athenry (2008), Athenry to Tuam (2011) and Tuam to Claremorris (2014). These projects are to be implemented in conjunction with rail commuter services from Athenry and Tuam serving a new station in Oranmore en route to Galway.

The current position regarding the Western Rail Corridor is that Iarnród Éireann has submitted detailed business proposals to my Department relating to Phase 1 (the reopening of the Ennis to Athenry section) and Phase 2 (re-opening of the Athenry to Tuam section). These proposals have been assessed in my Department and I will be reporting on them to Government shortly.

In addition, Iarnród Éireann is working with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to agree arrangements and funding under the CLÁR Programme for the preservation of the alignment from Claremorris to Collooney.