Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2004
184 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport if Iarnród Éireann will carry out costings on the reopening of the Ennis-Athenry-Galway railway line in view of the success of the new Ennis-Limerick commuter line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23112/04]
View answerEarlier this year the previous Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, established an expert working group, under the chairmanship of Mr. Pat McCann, chief executive of the Jurys-Doyle hotel group, to carry out a full examination of the proposal to re-open the western rail corridor. The group is comprised of county managers, directors of the regional authorities, representatives of the city and county development boards, the Western Development Commission, West-on-Track and the inter-county rail committee, Iarnród Éireann, the Railway Procurement Agency and my Department. The working group is examining all aspects of the western rail corridor proposal including the prospects for opening the line on a phased basis. This would include the potential for opening the Ennis-Athenry-Galway section of the line.
