Taoiseach’s support for greenway on Western Rail Corridor 'short-sighted'

THE Sinn Féin Junior Spokesperson for Transport, Deputy Louis O’Hara, has described the Taoiseach’s support for a greenway to be developed on the Sligo section of the Western Rail Corridor as ‘short-sighted’ and ‘symptomatic of a wider lack of ambition for the west of Ireland.’

In response to Deputy O’Hara’s Dáil question today, the Taoiseach defended his instruction to Iarnród Éireann to grant a licence for development of a greenway on the disused rail line between Collooney and Bellaghy.

Speaking following the debate, Deputy O’Hara said: “It’s welcome to finally see moves towards the reopening of the section of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris, but in order to realise the full potential and benefits of this corridor, it must ultimately be extended on to north Mayo and Sligo.

“This would be a game changer for connectivity in the region, providing accessible transport options to the likes of Ireland West Airport, hospitals, universities and linking major population centres together by rail.

“This decision to grant a licence for the development of a greenway on the rail line is extremely short-sighted and puts the integrity of this corridor at risk.

“A greenway will not drive the kind of economic development we need to see in the west of Ireland and that a reopened rail line can help deliver.”

He continued: “For too long the west has gotten the crumbs off the table and suffered from underdevelopment and that needs to change.

“The Taoiseach’s intervention in this case is symptomatic of a wider lack of ambition for the west, with seasonal cycling infrastructure being prioritised over proper public transport connectivity.

“He defended this today by suggesting that the rail line would still be protected for future use. If this were true it would make little sense to spend millions putting down a temporary greenway on the rail alignment only to rip it up in a few years.”

Deputy O'Hara added: “The reality is that once a greenway is put on the line it will prove very difficult to ever remove it to restore the rail line. This is why this decision must be overturned and why there has been such an enormous public backlash against this decision right across the west of Ireland.

“The sensible solution is to deliver cycling infrastructure alongside the railway line, protecting its future use and ensuring both projects can work in tandem together.

“The Taoiseach and government TDs from the region who have supported this move must come clean, acknowledge that this is the wrong decision and support the protection of this corridor for rail development.”