Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:1. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will put financial support in place for businesses affected by Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6593/25]
Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Weather Events
It is almost four weeks since Storm Éowyn battered the country. I wrote to the Minister early in February to ask that a scheme be put in place urgently to assist businesses affected by the storm. Last week Sinn Féin used its Private Members' business time to call for Government support to businesses. Why has no scheme been put in place to date? Businesses need to know today what help they can expect from the Government in the aftermath of the worst storm in history.
I wish Deputy Conway-Walsh the very best of luck in her role as spokesperson. I look forward to working with her. I had a very good relationship with her predecessor, Deputy O'Reilly. The Ministers of State, Deputies Smyth and Dillon, and I look forward to delivering the programme for Government in the years ahead.
I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the impacts of Storm Éowyn have caused for business owners over recent weeks. Since 24 January, I have been closely monitoring the situation with Storm Éowyn and its impacts on the business community through regular updates from the national emergency co-ordination group and updates from local enterprise offices in the counties with the most significant and prolonged impacts. Following the immediate damage caused by the storm, many businesses have been impacted by outages of power, water and communications networks.
With regard the issue of potential schemes to support businesses with losses arising from Storm Éowyn, in the first instance I encourage businesses to seek recourse through their insurance providers to cover losses they have incurred. I have been engaging directly with the insurance federation and my clear understanding is most losses incurred by businesses, such as property damage, loss of earnings and spoilage of stock, fall within standard insurance cover and the damage caused by the storm is a standard insured peril for insurance policies. I welcome that Insurance Ireland has said that house insurance premiums, for example, are not generally impacted by one event such as this storm, but rather on a range of many different rating factors and insured perils.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has in the past operated targeted emergency humanitarian flood relief schemes in response to specific flooding incidents. These schemes are specifically targeted at providing a contribution to small businesses of up to 20 employees as well as community, voluntary and sporting bodies which have experienced damage as a result of flooding and to help them get back up and running. A condition of eligibility for these schemes is that the businesses must not have been able to secure flood insurance through no fault of their own.
The programme for Government includes a commitment to an extreme weather event assistance scheme, which we are working on establishing.
The Minister might clarify if he got agreement from the insurance companies that the amount they pay will not be impacted. Businesses have two concerns about insurance. The first relates to the excess. If the excess is a couple of thousand euro and their loss is less than that, obviously they will not be able to claim. They are also afraid that their premiums will go up, meaning that over a three- or five-year period, they end up paying back more than they got in the first instance.
The Minister said he has been in contact with the water, electricity and communications companies. There are still hundreds of businesses and homes in Mayo and other counties that do not have proper communications. There have been no proper responses from Eir, Vodafone and the other communications companies. Will the Minister clarify the extent of the conversations he has had with them and when those people will be reconnected because it is really impacting their businesses?
I thank the Deputy for her response. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine has announced a scheme for investment in the horticulture sector, which has been very significantly impacted.
I was very quick to contact the insurance federation to get assurances that businesses affected would be covered regarding their standard practice. While I cannot go into the detail of individual policies regarding excess because they are very different, I can assure people that, in the general course of action and insurance peril, it is part standard insurance cover.
Regarding communications, I have been on to the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. We are very concerned about getting businesses and first responders which suffered outages at that time back up and running. We have a lot of work to do in that regard. This week Uisce Éireann will get 100 generators to future-proof for such events. The country needs to learn how we respond in future to a very significant event like this. We need to accept there were gaps in the response. Following the investment that went into rural areas through many schemes, there was an exceptional response and communities really rose to the challenge.
I want to get clarity on this. Will a scheme be put in place for businesses? I welcome what the Minister has said about horticulture. As he knows, the land in Mayo and the west in general does not lend itself to that. Will we have a scheme similar to the one we had for Storm Babet? It is important that is done sooner rather than later because people and businesses want certainty. There are many people who are self-employed, including farmers and fishermen. Last week, I spoke to either the Minister or the Taoiseach about an instance relating to oyster farming. About €160,000 has been lost and they do not have insurance. They will not be able to operate again unless they are compensated for that. We need clarity on it. I understand what is stated in the programme for Government but the vagueness around it is causing concern for businesses. Businesses cannot sustain the losses they have incurred following this storm.
In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, we are establishing a scheme. Specifically for this event, we need to be clear that the first recourse for businesses is through their insurance to cover them for damage, loss of earnings and spoilage of stock. That is the critical way in which they seek recourse. It is very different from flood damage where businesses could not get insurance. That is a very different scenario. We are establishing a scheme. I also point out that, regarding the statutory deadlines businesses face through the CRO and the Revenue Commissioners, we have worked to ensure there is significant leeway for businesses if they fail to meet their regulatory requirements at this time.
For the key impacted areas, as I have said, the Department of agriculture has stepped up with a scheme for horticulture. We will be assisting on a lot of agricultural damage that happened. For businesses, we need to work to establish a statutory scheme in future, on which work is under way. At this time, the first recourse for businesses is through their insurance companies. If there are any specific cases, the local enterprise offices, LEOs, are very happy to work with businesses and support them in any way we can.
Employment Rights
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:2. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will intervene to protect employment rights and jobs in an institution (details supplied), which provides courses for TU Dublin and refuses to engage with the WRC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7039/25]
Last week in the Dáil I raised the plight of teachers in the British and Irish Modern Music Institute, which provides degree courses for TUD in commercial modern music. At that point, 53 of them had been threatened with redundancy and were told they would have to reapply for their own jobs and would be facing big cuts in their pay and conditions. Their union and their strike action have now established some sort of deal which will be balloted on. However, it raises serious questions about how workers in higher education could be treated in this way.
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As he will be aware, Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation. Ireland’s system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been the consistent policy of successive governments to support the industrial relations institutional framework. Indeed, the programme for Government commits to supporting the central role of the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court in industrial relations and employment rights.
I would always encourage parties to make every effort to reach a resolution by agreement between themselves and with the help of the industrial relations machinery of the State if necessary.
I note from media reports yesterday that there have been constructive discussions between the parties and that there may be a resolution in sight, which is welcomed by all.
All employers are responsible for ensuring their employees receive all the protections afforded them under employment legislation. The Protection of Employment Act 1977 protects and supports workers in redundancy situations. The legislation imposes certain legal obligations on employers proposing collective redundancies, including the requirement for a 30-day consultation period with employees and their representatives. Employers must notify me, as Minister of State, and the Minister for enterprise, tourism and employment, of the proposals at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect. Employers may not issue notices of redundancy during this period.
On 14 February 2025, the Department received a collective redundancy notification in accordance with the legislation from the company named by the Deputy. Employees have the right to refer complaints to the WRC on a wide range of employment law breaches for adjudication and redress, including the right to refer a complaint should an employer fail to consult, and that was done in this case.
That is very interesting. I was not aware the Minister of State was notified. Due to the three days of strike action and the representations of IFUT, the workers' union, it looks as if BIMM has made concessions which it is hoped are satisfactory to the workers. The context here is that 53 workers were told they were going to be made redundant but not because their jobs were gone. They were going to have to reapply for their own jobs but on lesser pay and conditions, with the creation of a new freelance grade to replace jobs which had a more formal arrangement. I am glad to say the workers have won but they should not have had to go out on strike for three days. It looks as if all compulsory redundancies are off the table now, there will be a system of career progression and some pay increases for workers. This was achieved through their own efforts. Under no circumstances should workers anywhere, but particularly where they are employed under the auspices of TUD, be made redundant and then asked to reapply for their own jobs.
As I said in my earlier contribution, Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation to protect and support workers in redundancy situations. In the first instance, responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests with the employer and the workers and their representatives. The programme for Government supports the critical role of the WRC and the Labour Court, if it gets to that situation, in the context of industrial relations and employment rights.
As the Deputy said earlier, we all welcome the fact the employees in the company have suspended their industrial action, which is very important. Their constructive discussions have led to a possible resolution and follow-up balloting by members. The Department will continue to ensure workers' rights are strengthened, that we have robust legislation in place and that we continue to support workers.
Let us be clear, their strike action, the actions of their union and the fact the matter was raised in this House all put pressure on BIMM to come to the table. It had previously refused to go to the WRC. There is a serious issue here, especially as the workers were working under the auspices of TUD. Essentially, TUD had outsourced this degree to a private company. That contract will be up for renewal in a couple of years. I would ask the Department to talk to colleagues in other Departments, particularly the Department of higher education, and say that it should be a condition of tenders that those tendering would guarantee decent pay and conditions and not allow outsourcing to create yellow-pack grades of pay and conditions for people working in higher education. Otherwise, we will get a race to the bottom and a repeat of this kind of thing. Proactive action by the Government to prevent this happening in the future would be very useful.
I am not familiar with the detail of this specific case, but Ireland's system of industrial relations is essentially voluntary in nature. It has been a consistent policy of consecutive governments to support the development of the institutional framework within the WRC and the Labour Court. In this instance, we did receive advance notice of collective redundancies from the company which complied with the Protection of Employment Act in terms of supporting certain legal obligations. The consultation process has raised serious concerns, however, relating to what was being offered to the employees, who have the right to complain and to seek representation, which is what happened in this case. The machinery of the State is the WRC and Labour Court for any resolution.
Employment Rights
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:3. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has been made aware of potential job losses in the software sector; if he has asked the IDA to intervene; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6594/25]
We now know that 142 staff are to be laid off by the Irish branch of the global HR and payroll processing company, Workday. When was the Department notified of these job losses? What contact has the Department had with the company and the workers? What is being done for those workers? Has IDA Ireland been involved and how can these workers be helped to find alternative employment and supported? This morning I want to send solidarity from this House to those workers and their families.
While the technology sector, which includes software, has undergone a period of sustained growth for the past 20 years, recently it has seen some significant contraction. Where IDA Ireland's multinational clients in this sector have announced global job reductions, the reductions have typically been less than 10% of their total global workforce. Furthermore, in most cases, the job reductions implemented in Ireland have been lower in percentage terms than the globally announced figure. Typically in an economy with such low levels of unemployment, employment opportunities will arise, especially for the talented people employed by the software sector.
Nevertheless, where such job losses are announced for Ireland, our first and primary concern is for staff members and their families impacted by such decisions. The supports we can provide in conjunction with our enterprise development agencies and other Departments is at the forefront of our response. Moreover, the Protection of Employment Act makes it mandatory for employers proposing a collective redundancy to engage in an information and consultation process with employees' representatives for at least 30 days and to notify me, as Minister for enterprise, tourism and employment, of the proposed collective redundancy. Such an employer is prohibited from issuing any notice of redundancy during the information and consultation process with employees' representatives, and the employer cannot make employees redundant until at least 30 days after the Minister has been notified of the proposed collective redundancy. In any such redundancy scenario, the enterprise development agencies under my Department assist, where possible, those impacted to find alternative employment. This includes sharing the skills portfolios of impacted employees with companies that may be hiring, such as multinationals in IDA Ireland's client portfolio. Equally, working with IDA Ireland, our objective is to help to sustain and create further employment in the technology and software sector overall.
In relation to the software sector it is important to note that the commitment of technology companies to Ireland remains exceptionally strong. Last year Ireland secured investments from leading companies in the sector including Microsoft, IBM and Intercom.
On the Deputy's specific question, the Department was notified this week but I do not have the exact date in front of me.
Last month we learned that Meta is to cut 5% of its staff globally and last year Intel and TikTok notified staff of impending job losses. As the Minister rightly said, there is a significant contraction and it is very important we have a plan in place as this is likely to happen again in the future. Last night we talked with the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, about AI and the implications for the Irish economy. While there are many positive applications of AI and it will continue to be growth area, significant layoffs can also result from AI. I want to see an action plan in that context. I also want to see, as we discussed last night, the building up of expertise within Government. We need to be looking at the existing skill sets and what is necessary for Government to be able to tap into these. I would also like to see, after such job losses, a measuring of how long it takes individual workers to find alternative work so that we can stay ahead of the game.
While we have seen a recalibration in the tech sector post Covid, it is still very strong.
We have a very rich vein of talent. We have and are host to eight of the ten global leading tech companies in this State at this time. We provide so much talent and skills, with 8% ICT graduates in our economy. That is double the EU average. We are double per capita in STEM graduates, which provides a huge rich vein. We have, as part of our digitalisation strategy, a very clear policy regarding the tech sector, which was established in February 2022. We have the White Paper on enterprise, which sets out our plans and goals to achieve 90% digital intensity in basic SMEs by 2030, which are a very important cog in the wheel as well. Obviously we have our AI strategy, which we have updated as recently as last November, working very closely with the AI advisory group, chaired by Dr. Patricia Scanlon. We are also working to implement the AI Act, designating our competent authorities and getting our regulatory sandbox up and running. There is a huge amount of opportunity in this space and Ireland has the foundation to grasp that opportunity and we will not be found wanting for the resources to do so.
I thank the Minister and I agree with a lot of what he said. Within these strategies, it is always in the implementation and how quickly the implementation can be done. There are opportunities there for self-employment as well. When people find themselves in a situation where they lose their jobs, we should be coming in there to support them. What I am finding in some areas is that when the brightest and best young people are coming up with ideas, whether it be the development of apps or whatever, and I spoke to a person last Saturday in Mayo about this, they are falling between the agencies, for example, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the LEOs and Enterprise Ireland. Perhaps the Minister would look at that area in order that none of these projects are falling between the stools because the people they are presenting to may not fully realise the potential of the things they are coming forward with. We need to nurture this talent, but we also need the start-ups and to ensure these businesses can scale up and stay in this country.
We have a huge demand for workers in those categories. That can be seen from how much the landscape has changed across our capital city and other regions throughout the country. That is why the IDA has specifically called out digitalisation and AI as one of the key growth drivers for its new five-year strategy, hoping to bring in €7 billion of research and development investment, growth of 15,000 jobs per annum, of which 54% will be in regional Ireland, aimed at getting 550 investments right into our regions. That is going to be critical to continuing the agility of our economy.
There is huge demand. As can be seen from our critical skills permits, we are trying to bring in workers through legal pathways to feed a growing and strong industry. While there was recalibration in certain companies, the growth is very significant, as can be seen from the announcements in AI. Some incredible companies that are part of that landscape are setting up their headquarters in Ireland, which we welcome. We have the most prized resource of any country - our people and skills - and we are ready to absorb that opportunity.
Regional Development
Michael Collins
Ceist:4. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details of the employment opportunities created by his Department since 2024 in Cork South-West, specifically in the areas of Beara, Mizen Head, Sheep’s Head, Bandon, Dunmanway, Skibbereen, Drimoleague, Clonakilty, and Kinsale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7073/25]
Will the Minister of State provide detailed information on the employment opportunities created by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment since 2024 in Cork South-West, specifically in areas such as the Beara Peninsula, Mizen Head Peninsula, Sheep's Head Peninsula and areas from Inishannon to Bantry? It is important that we create and are seen to be creating good jobs there for the people of that constituency.
I thank Deputy Collins for his question. There are now 26,026 people employed in Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in County Cork, a net increase of 846 jobs during 2024. There was also positive job creation recorded across the three LEOs based in County Cork, with 3,076 jobs supported by 618 LEO clients. This represents a net gain in 2024 of 119 jobs. The FDI performance in the south west, which comprises counties Cork and Kerry, has been consistent over the past five years, with employment among IDA clients increasing by 17%. There are 235 IDA client companies in this region, employing more than 51,000 people in the area. In Cork, there are 219 IDA companies, employing 49,898 people. Recent announcements in Cork indicate that Ireland’s value proposition remains strong. For example in February, Infineon announced the creation of 50 jobs and last November saw Qualcomm announcing a $126 million investment, creating more than 150 jobs.
The south west has a significant ecosystem of established companies across technology, life sciences, international financial services and engineering and industrial technologies. It has also won significant investment across all of these sectors over a sustained period, which has contributed significantly to employment growth and positive economic impacts on other sectors of the economy. I continue to emphasise the importance of regional development in the role of my Department’s agencies in driving economic growth in Cork. I highlight the efforts of Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and the LEOs to provide businesses with the resources and support they need to thrive, particularly in areas outside the capital.
I thank the Minister of State. I failed to welcome her to her new role when I spoke earlier. I wish her the very best of luck going forward.
I was very specific in my question. I have raised the same question with the Minister of State's predecessor in the Dáil before, and I received a lot of answers but they were not specific to these places. I am very concerned, especially living on a peninsula myself, about the peninsulas and where the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment focusing on in areas such as the Beara Peninsula, Mizen Head and Sheep's Head. How is the Department creating jobs and what kind of jobs is it creating? These areas have had a downturn in agriculture because farming is going through a struggle at present. Fishing has been decimated in those peninsulas. I see a wave of cars leaving west Cork every morning going to Cork city. There is nothing wrong with jobs in Cork city and I wish the very best of luck to everyone, but as the Minister of State said, 50 jobs were created in one area recently and there are another 115 following an investment of $126 million. What part of Cork were those jobs specifically assigned to?
I take the Deputy's point. Balanced regional development is a key priority for the Government and all TDs who are from more rural parts of the country. I will raise the Deputy's specific questions with the Department following this. The number of jobs in Enterprise Ireland-supported companies in County Cork has increased by 846 since 2023, with 26,026 now employed in the county by those companies. The regional impact of Enterprise Ireland's efforts is evident in the distribution of job growth across all nine regions, recording a positively increased number of employment figures.
I take the Deputy's point today, however. There are very specific areas within the county the Deputy is concerned about. We will see if we can get further information on that. As I said, positive creation was recorded across the LEOs in Cork, with 3,076 jobs created and supported by the 618 LEO clients in the county. These companies recorded a net gain of 119 jobs. The IDA clients are now employing 165,484 regionally, or 55% of the client base employment. There are 219 IDA companies in Cork, employing almost 50,000. I will come back to the Deputy more specifically on the areas he inquired about.
I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could come back on that. Obviously employment is good no matter where it is. I know there are massive employers in Cork city such as Apple, the pharmaceutical companies and others. They are second to none and are to be always welcomed and secured. Many people are spending two hours in a car going up to Cork every morning to work and coming back to west Cork because there are no major employment opportunities in those areas. I picked Beara, Sheep's Head and Mizen Head, but I also have concerns about Drimoleague, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Bantry and Bandon. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State's reply were more specific as to where the jobs are being created because it looks as if the Department is very much concentrating on the city, which is hugely important, but has forgotten there is an area two hours west of Cork city where people would like job opportunities. There could be if there were just a little bit of vision and a common-sense approach.
I thank the Deputy. I will take a note of the specific areas he asked about.
We all want to create the balanced regional development the Deputy has spoken about. The introduction of AI may allow companies to do that and allow people to work in more rural parts. We will focus on that with Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and the LEOs to see how we can support them in achieving that.
Regional Airports
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:5. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the programme for Government commitment to develop strategic development zones; and how this will relate to additional supports for the strategic development zone at Knock Airport. [6595/25]
I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to develop strategic development zones, SDZs. What will this look like for Ireland West Airport Knock? What timescales will be on that? There is huge untapped potential in our region, which has 95,000 sq. m of commercial enterprise space that can be used for economic development. I welcome the appointment of a manager specifically for this, but we need to know what it will look like. Will the Minister drive it and make it a priority?
I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising this important matter. I look forward to working with her in delivering the SDZ at Ireland West Airport Knock. Balanced regional development is a key focus of this Government. My Department contributes to this objective through the work of its enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA as well as through the network of 31 LEOs which have a presence in every county. It is the responsibility of the nine regional enterprise plans which focus on initiatives to deliver growth in each of the nine regions of Ireland. The programme for Government commits to considering the development of economic SDZs for the regions. An SDZ, as it has been until now, is a planning designation and is typically followed by the development of a planning scheme for the SDZ by the relevant local authority. The Department has engaged with the SDZ at Ireland West Airport Knock, including through the provision of more than €200,000 per year over a two-year period to Mayo County Council for the development of a roadmap for the development of the SDZ. A project manager for this work, who was appointed in August of last year, is developing a roadmap setting out the process for the development of the SDZ, for example by identifying the infrastructure required to advance the site, identifying the challenges facing the development, facilitating access of funding to deliver on specific project elements, and supporting the communication of the vision of the SDZ at a local level and to other interested parties. The work of the project manager is overseen by a steering committee chaired by Mayo County Council and includes representatives from key stakeholders including the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, the Western Development Commission, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Atlantic Technological University, Ireland West Airport Knock and the Department. The most recent meeting of the steering committee took place in December, with the next meeting expected in March. Officials from the Department have also liaised with relevant Departments and State bodies on issues of relevance to the SDZ.
Comhghairdeas to the Minister of State on his new role. We share an interest in Knock Airport and its development. We have talked about it for decades since Monsignor Horan was brave enough, against all the odds, to build the airport. It is obvious that it has not fulfilled its potential. In 2022, the EU downgraded the north and west as a lagging region with a GDP of only 71% of the EU average. Last year, the Northern and Western Regional Assembly published research showing that since 2016, the north and west region has received just 5.7% of investment in infrastructure projects worth more than €20 million. The facts speak for themselves. We have a unique opportunity but it is not going to happen unless we all work together. That is why I want to see this roadmap. I want to see that it will be measured along the way to ascertain exactly who is responsible for moving it along and how and when that will be done.
I think we are all in agreement that this is a critical piece of enterprise-enabling infrastructure for the west and north west. We have support from the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, who also have regional responsibilities. The development requires focus and commitment. I welcome the appointment of Dominick Healy in August last year. He is a very competent project manager. The roadmap will build on the consensus of the steering committee stakeholders which comprise a number of State agencies and key local authorities. The completion timeline of two years has been set by the SDZ development roadmap. We have a timeline of August 2026, two years after the appointment of the project manager. We want to see, following that, a number of initiatives to ensure that there is investment in that strategic land bank to ensure it has critical services and utilities and that we have a plan to attract investment.
It is important that people's expectations are not raised. Before elections, there are nonsensical announcements and all that. It is a ten-year period before this will be done with utilities and all of that which needs to be done to develop this zone. Things can be done in the meantime but people's expectations need to be managed. There is a critical opportunity here. In 2021, Sinn Féin wrote to the European Commission seeking a total exemption from state aid rules for regional airports such as Ireland West Airport Knock due to the challenges of Brexit and Covid-19. Will the Minister of State consider pursuing this objective to enable Ireland West Airport SDZ to reach its full potential? There is no western rail corridor and the all-island strategic rail review was grim reading for the north west. These issues are interconnected but they present a unique opportunity that we cannot wait to have implemented.
This Government has been steadfast in its support for Ireland West Airport Knock through the regional airports programme. More than €20 million has been invested in key infrastructure, safety and security projects at the airport. There were record passenger numbers again. The trajectory for that airport is important. Work is being done with the board of Ireland West Airport Knock to attract investment. Aircraft maintenance companies have set up there already. This work is important. The former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the former Minister, Simon Coveney, moved this on to ensure there was a feasibility study. The Minister of State at the time, Deputy Calleary, was also supportive in the Department. We need to work collectively to ensure it reaches its full potential. The SDZ has the potential to open up the Atlantic economic corridor. As the Deputy said, key infrastructure projects like the western rail corridor are critical to its viability.