Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide an update on all phases of the western rail corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28207/24]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I want to ask the Minister about the upgrade works and the phases of the western rail corridor and where we are in respect of all that. I know he has been supportive of the extension of the western rail corridor along most of the way. We still have a section that I want to see brought all the way to Sligo, and we need to see more work in respect of that. Can the Minister give us an update as to where this is at and when we will see work commencing to move this project forward?

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As committed to in the Government's current national development plan, the reinstatement of the western rail corridor is being considered as part of the all-island strategic rail review. The review is unique as it has considered the future of rail on the island of Ireland across both jurisdictions and was conducted in co-operation with our colleagues in the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

The review will inform the development of rail in the coming decades to 2050, in line with net-zero carbon targets in both jurisdictions. Work on the review is now at an advanced stage, and a draft report was published for a strategic environmental assessment public consultation in July of last year.

The draft report makes 30 recommendations for the rail system across the island out to 2050. Implementation of these recommendations would result in substantial improvements in the capacity, speed, frequency and reach of the rail system. Journey times by rail would be much reduced and frequency would increase to at least hourly between cities and every two hours on rural and regional routes. The network would be decarbonised, with intercity routes electrified.

As part of the review's recommendations, there would be the rehabilitation of currently disused lines, including on the western rail corridor between Athenry and Claremorris, as well as new lines to the north midlands and north west, widening accessibility and connectivity through rail. All this would at least double the market share of rail and enable it to be a stronger backbone of a sustainable public transport system for the people of Ireland.

The public consultation phase concluded on 29 September 2023 and submissions have been reviewed. It is expected that the final review report, taking account of the comments received, will be submitted to Governments in both jurisdictions this month and that the final report will be published by the end of the summer. I look forward to the report's publication.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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We all look forward to the publication of the review and to advancements being made in respect of all the issues around rail on the island. It is vital infrastructure that we need to see developed. We all recognise that, in the context of climate change, rail is one of the key pieces of infrastructure which will put us in a safe place in regard to meeting our commitments. However, we still have issues in certain areas where we are not seeing it advanced at the speed we need to see in respect of this, and the western rail corridor is one of those issues.

We see the western Atlantic economic corridor down the whole western coast as a counterbalance. I often say that we need to relieve Dublin and revive the rest. We certainly see in this capital city that we are bringing in measures to deal with congestion, housing problems and all the various other problems we have, yet in other parts of the country, particularly the west, we have the least development and the most opportunity. That is why the Government needs to lead that out by providing the key infrastructure which will make that economic rebalance happen, and the western rail corridor is one of those key pieces of infrastructure. That is why it is short-sighted of the Government to look to go only from Athenry to Claremorris. We should go all the way to Sligo with the western rail corridor and ensure that happens with haste.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the announcement of the acceleration of the extension of the Luas line to Finglas. I will ask the Minister a straightforward question. Is it intended to give the same acceleration to the reopening of the railway line from Athenry to Claremorris?

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. For the past couple of years, we have been waiting for this final all-Ireland rail review. People are waiting with bated breath because, as Deputy Kenny said, we have to look at the western economic corridor. What are we talking about here? Earlier, I asked the Minister about the N17; we are now speaking about the western rail corridor. Those plans have to be in place in order that people can know and politicians can plan for what will happen. The Minister mentioned only Athenry to Claremorris; he does not mention anywhere else. People are just asking these questions. They want clarity and we are not getting clarity. All we are being told is that there is a draft review and it says this but that the Department is waiting for the final one. We are coming to the end of this Government. We need clarity on precisely what the plans are and what is going to happen.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I warmly support the proposals to reopen the western corridor and to extend it, as Deputy Kenny has said, to Sligo. I remember the time when Irish emigrants returning home after the summer holidays trailed their handkerchiefs out the windows of the trains on that same route as they returned to their jobs in Birmingham, London and various other places across the water. The scene is different now. The demand is here at home. We have an increasing population which we need to serve, and this corridor, if revitalised or reopened, will be a major positive contributor.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Could I have a little more time, given that I have to respond to four Deputies? I do not know what the-----

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I have been very lenient with the time today so far.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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If we could, purely out of respect to all four Deputies.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I cannot give you four minutes.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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This is an important issue, and Deputies want clarity, as I said.

First, the delay here is because we did not have an Assembly in the North. That has been very regrettable, but we did not sit back and do nothing. The publication, as part of the strategic environmental assessment, SEA, of the review gave the broad outline of what is contained within it. I do not expect significant changes. It will go to the Government this week and to the northern administration and will be cleared this month. Also, in advance of it being finally cleared by the Government, we have commissioned the European Investment Bank, EIB, to help us with the rail investment implementation strategy. That is taking the review and moving it forward as regards which projects we will prioritise in three ten-year blocks, the first of which will be from 2025 to 2035. That work has already started. It started back in April of this year. The EIB will engage in a six-stage approach to give us recommendations as to what we prioritise.

For clarity, to respond to Deputy Harkin, and I thought we had given this clarity the last time we had transport questions, it does not and will not include extension from Claremorris to Collooney. Some Deputies may argue otherwise, but a very detailed analysis was done on that and it will not be included. It may be very beneficial for us to preserve the line that is there by protecting it in public ownership, using it as a greenway and so on, but it will not be included as a recommendation and, therefore, will not be included in the recommendation of investment strategies.

To respond to Deputy Ó Cuív, I believe the western rail corridor should get priority just like the Finglas Luas. That is my answer. I will be honest and say, as we discussed at the transport committee meeting yesterday, that is probably not just an issue for the implementation strategy but will also be a manifesto question in advance of the next government being formed. In honesty, there are different views on this, including within the Deputy's party, as to the wisdom of our investing not so much in the north west but even a fundamental question about whether rail freight will have a role in our transport system. I say that because in the previous report that was done on this section between Athenry and Claremorris, there was too narrow a lens. The question asked by a series of reports was whether there was enough passenger demand to justify a service from Claremorris to Galway. They did not think big enough about a rail corridor running from Ballina all the way down the west coast into the south east. I think that requires a certain strategic decision by the political system that we will use it for freight as well as for passenger services. That makes the economic case for the line, I believe. I would give it real priority. Not all parties seem to be clear on that, and I ask Deputy Ó Cuív, within his own party, to provide any clarity he can. That would be very useful.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Tá áthas ar an Roinn Airgeadais anois.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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We will move on to the next question for which a Deputy is present.