Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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227. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he will take to ensure that the reopening of the railway line between Mullingar and Athlone is included in the capital expenditure review programme in view of the fact it is an important link which would facilitate commuters between these two major towns and for onward journeys to other areas of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26453/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department awarded a total grant of €7.2 million to Westmeath County Council under the Government Stimulus Package 2014 to deliver a greenway along the route of the disused rail line between Mullingar and Athlone.  The 42km greenway which is part of my Department's flagship Galway to Dublin Greenway opened in 2015 and is proving a great success, providing a huge economic and amenity boost to the local community.

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that when Greenways are being developed along closed and abandoned railways, there is specific provision in the licence agreement to ensure that the corridor could be brought back to use as a working railway, should it be required at a future date.  In addition to the tourism and business benefits that Greenways bring, the development of a Greenway along a rail corridor also fully protects the integrity of the corridor in the event of its future reopening as an operational railway.

The role of heavy rail in Ireland's transport sector is currently under review.  A public consultation process on the Rail Review document was conducted recently by the National Transport Authority (NTA).  The NTA is currently preparing a report about the process which I intend to bring to Government in due course.  No decisions on any changes to the rail network will be made until the outcome of the public consultation process has been evaluated and the NTA's report considered.