WRC - Media Reporting

Mayo News - Wednesday December 14, 2005
Council wants fast-track approach to development of rail corridor

The Council for the West has repeated its call on the Government to fast-track the re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor, following a meeting with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuiv, TD.
A statement followed a meeting between Council for the West Chairman Seán Hannick and Séamus Caulfield. They met the Minister to discuss a wide range of western issues – including infrastructure.

The statement said the Transport 21 programme was discussed at length, with the Council representatives welcoming the initiatives but voicing to the Minister their anxiety that the strength of the pull southwards would militate against development in north Galway, Mayo and Sligo.

Afterwards Mr Hannick said they had made the strongest possible case for shortening the time frame to a maximum of six years – and not the nine years outlined in the Government plan.

“The pledge to open the western rail corridor to Claremorris is positive but too long-fingered, and we believed the corridor should be extended all the way to Collooney and not merely included as an aspiration, and we are perturbed that there is no mention of extending the rail link from Sligo to Derry , which would be a bold and imaginative move, and would help to counter-balance, however slightly, the burgeoning growth of the Greater Dublin area,” said Mr Hannick.

The Council representatives also called for a proper road connection between northern Donegal and Dublin and said it was time negotiations were entered into with Northern authorities to facilitate this long overdue road enhancement.

The Council for the West welcomed Minister Ó Cuiv’s suggestion that the Council meet the Minister every six months to review progress on Western issues. Mr Hannick said it was an invitation that would most definitely be taken up.

In another development, long-time campaigner for the rail corridor, Fr Micheál MacGréil, said he was delighted that Finance Minister Brian Cowen included reference to the project in his budget speech. “Once it gets mentioned there, there’s no going back and I remain confident that we will get work underway sooner than expected,” he said.