This article is from page 11 of the 2006-02-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
FEARS have been expressed in the Dáil that the Ennis-Galway rail-line will not be subsidised by Government. Iarnród Eireann claims that subsidisation is vital for the re-opening of the line.
As part of its “Transport 21” programme, the Government has made a commitment to re-open the EnnisAthenry line, linking rail services to Galway City, by 2008.
However, speaking in the Dáil, Fine Gael deputy, Pat Breen, expressed concern that the €300m€400m price tag of the western rail corridor would be soaked up on capital expenditure and that routes of the corridor would not be subsidised in the same way as other routes on the rail network.
“Will the rail line be subsidised similarly to other routes and will there be added incentives initially to encourage commuters to use the line?” he asked.
“The Minister should note the outstanding success of the Ennis-Limerick commuter line which was long fought for and once disregarded as being unworkable and commercially unviable. I use the service from time-to-time, when travelling on to Dublin.
“It allows one to escape the madness, chaos and unpredictability of travelling by road to Dublin. The service has been expanded since it was first announced, with the result that there is considerable pressure to expand the parking facilities at Ennis Railway Station.
“The Ennis-Athenry-Galway line will also be an outstanding success and I hope the work thereon will be completed in the timescale proposed by the Minister. It would link up two very important cities, Galway and Limerick, and would allow for an option to travel to Dublin.
However, in response to Deputy Breen’s queries, the Minister for State at the Department of Transport, Pat “The Cope” Gallagher, failed to provide any new information.
Councillor, Brian Meaney (GP) has expressed similar concerns about the Government’s commitment to the proposed rail service.
He alleges that Iarnród Éireann are not proceeding with any further work on the reopening of the rail line north of Ennis, until they get assurances that funding will be put in place to subsidise the running of the line over the next 15 years.
“This is the same management that wanted to close the rail link to Limerick as the claimed it could never be a success. Irish Rail should publish a work schedule for the reopening of the rail link to Galway and become part of the solution rather than the problem.”