Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail

I see supporters of the so called QMG are being told who to vote for and not vote for again by people not from the constituency never mind the county on their Facebook page.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

I see supporters of the so called QMG are being told who to vote for and not vote for again by people not from the constituency never mind the county on their Facebook page.

Indeed, one wonders is it a cycling advocacy group or an election campaign tool.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

I see supporters of the so called QMG are being told who to vote for and not vote for again by people not from the constituency never mind the county on their Facebook page.

Mmmm..... imagine that a campaign group advising (not telling) its members to vote for people who support their campaign, now that one is really difficult to work out. Ah and throw in a bit of parish pumpism as well, he's not from around here you know, don't think we should be listening to his rational sensible arguments, strangers, best beware eh and vote for the local gobsh*te who did nothing for us.... which is probably what will happen.

The so called QMG, just like the so called Western Rail Corridor or the so called Sinn Fein/WOT or the so called chicken dinner.....

westtip wrote: »

Mmmm..... imagine that a campaign group advising (not telling) its members to vote for people who support their campaign, now that one is really difficult to work out. Ah and throw in a bit of parish pumpism as well, he's not from around here you know, don't think we should be listening to his rational sensible arguments, strangers, best beware eh and vote for the local gobsh*te who did nothing for us.... which is probably what will happen.

The so called QMG, just like the so called Western Rail Corridor or the so called Sinn Fein/WOT or the so called chicken dinner.....

There are a number of so called QMG supporters very vocal in telling people what to do. Have you seen the facebook page, its a comedy show.
There are many issues in our area that far surpass the requirements of a few greenway advocates but then again most of these greenway supporters wouldn't really understand or even know about them! Fair enough advising followers of politicians who are pro their agenda but look at the last 10 posts on the page and you would nearly think it is now only an anti one particular TD page with the same 20 people commenting. Again a good comedy show.
Why would calling it the so called QMG get you bothered? It is the so called isnt it? Same as the so called WRC. As for the chicken dinner I'm leaving the so called out cause I like chicken

Muckyboots wrote: »

Never looked like a cycling advocacy group to me. Lots of people on that page who rarely, if ever, have been up on a bike.

What difference does that make? It's possible to advocate for a Greenway without being a cyclist - people are allowed to walk and run on them, after all.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

There are a number of so called QMG supporters very vocal in telling people what to do. Have you seen the facebook page, its a comedy show.

there is an element of comedy in this whole farce, the comedy is rather black though as this whole thing sinks deeper and deeper into farce. The greenway crowd are clamouring for the rail report, you would have thought it would have been the railway crowd doing the clamouring afterall they are the ones that demanded it. So despite your rather flimsy efforts to dismiss ordinary folk getting angry at their keyboards or phones stop and think five or ten years ago would ordinary folk have got so heated up about such a simple thing as a footpath, no. But they have got angry, and dismissing them as a comedy show from the anonymity of a message board is somewhat discourteous. They are in fact real people with real profiles venting off their anger in a public forum like never before, they have neighbours and friends they talk too, they are influencers so dismiss them as a comedy show at your own peril. Not releasing the rail report is a pure discourtesy, it will come out eventually, and the truth is none of know what it actually contains. My guess is it is not the ringing endorsement of the railway but will be a bit of a fudge so nothing happens, and that will keep one group happy, West on Track, this has now become a battle of spite, stop the greenway at all costs, even though the railway in highly unlikely to ever be built - hats off to you lads if it is, but I have my doubts. Hey ho on we go.

westtip wrote: »

there is an element of comedy in this whole farce, the comedy is rather black though as this whole thing sinks deeper and deeper into farce. The greenway crowd are clamouring for the rail report, you would have thought it would have been the railway crowd doing the clamouring afterall they are the ones that demanded it. So despite your rather flimsy efforts to dismiss ordinary folk getting angry at their keyboards or phones stop and think five or ten years ago would ordinary folk have got so heated up about such a simple thing as a footpath, no. But they have got angry, and dismissing them as a comedy show from the anonymity of a message board is somewhat discourteous. They are in fact real people with real profiles venting off their anger in a public forum like never before, they have neighbours and friends they talk too, they are influencers so dismiss them as a comedy show at your own peril. Not releasing the rail report is a pure discourtesy, it will come out eventually, and the truth is none of know what it actually contains. My guess is it is not the ringing endorsement of the railway but will be a bit of a fudge so nothing happens, and that will keep one group happy, West on Track, this has now become a battle of spite, stop the greenway at all costs, even though the railway in highly unlikely to ever be built - hats off to you lads if it is, but I have my doubts. Hey ho on we go.

Ok buddy I was wasn’t really going along those lines with the comedy line, it is the constant and persistent attacks that the administrators of that particular Facebook page seem to allow from the same few posters that I find funny. Sorry if the anonymity of this message board upsets you, I didn’t make the rules, the other Facebook page does not allow questions or people to correct false information or to ask for references for statements at all so that is why I am here.
You are right though, Those real people that you mention are real, I know a lot of them!
I agree the report should be released, but you and I and anybody that read the terms of reference for the rail report knew this stage was written into it. It is is not and was not a surprise. Some people seem to think this is a trick.

westtip wrote: »

Look I agree about the terms of reference, the whole thing has been designed to kick the can down the road, but the election has changed everything. Some candidates will be openly advocating the WRC to happen, SF for example seem to have a fixation on this, Within FF O'Cuiv, Chambers and Calleary seem to be big fans, give O'Cuiv and Chambers their due they have asked for the report under PQs filed last December and were refused permission similar to members of the public who have asked for it. But with the election and some of these candidates still going on about the WRC if the report was out there we could all sing off the same hymn sheet. I have always said if he report is a ringing endorsement of the WRC, let's see it happen, I don't think it will be, but at least lets see it, Then both Greenway and Railway advocates know what the position will be. A lot is riding on that report and with an election campaign in place the public need to be informed, that is why the rules should be bent on this one. Don't you think?

Definitely agree on that one.
Report should be published as reported whatever is in it.

ShaneC1600 wrote: »

Definitely agree on that one.
Report should be published as reported whatever is in it.

Truth is ShaneC I think we are all getting sick and tired of this on message boards, and FB and twitter etc, lets see the bloody report and get on with it, honestly I am really tired, if the report says the railway is the best idea since sliced white bread and will transform the economy then lets get on with in but can we at least see it ... we paid for it.

In the meantime great to see Marian Harkin come out in support of the greenway, a previous stalwart of West on Track, quite remarkable turn around in views. Well done Marian Harkin for listening and rationalising that takes courage. Thank you!

Muckyboots wrote: »

Don't be getting overexcited with the rail review. WOT are being their usual very clever selves in stoking up faux anger and suspense. It is and always was a clever distraction trick.
The greenway will proceed 1. When the relevant local council vote for it 2. The relevant County CEO decides to fund it and maintain it. 3. Affected landowners and nimby's don't object to it.
A rail service will happen 1. When a government decide to capital fund it and continually subsidises it. 2 When the operators agree to take on another heavily loss making service. 3. The NTA doesn't object to its impact an a heavily used road network (including primary routes).

If an FF/Green/ caney government decide to extend the WRC, the rail review report decoy will land in the bin, no matter what it says and another report with an adjusted terms of reference would be deliverd within months

Things have changed a lot in departments since the wild spending days of Mccreevy and Ahern. No major project nowadays will get past the department of finance without a proper evaluation, so the wrc is unlikely to ever cross the funding hurdle.
The wishful thinking of WOT is based on what could be done in a time that is long gone.

Del.Monte wrote: »

Like the National Children's Hospital. :rolleyes:

Exceptions always prove a rule!

westtip wrote: »

I just want this to end......

It will pretty much end when the report is released, I'm told it is absolutely definitive in its conclusions. The western rail corridor has finally been put to bed by the consultants in a very damning report. Despite what spin is put on this by any government trying to appease a couople of West on track TDs (or indeed on west on track bandwagon jumpers), the economists will tear any such spinning to pieces.
It's a pity the report is being covered up for electoral reasons, but it will all come out in the open very soon in any case.

eastwest wrote: »

It will pretty much end when the report is released, I'm told it is absolutely definitive in its conclusions. The western rail corridor has finally been put to bed by the consultants in a very damning report. Despite what spin is put on this by any government trying to appease a couople of West on track TDs (or indeed on west on track bandwagon jumpers), the economists will tear any such spinning to pieces.
It's a pity the report is being covered up for electoral reasons, but it will all come out in the open very soon in any case.

yes I believe this to be the case in the meantime for those who label the greenway campaign anti-rail, this is the kind of project we need to encourage and support for rail in the west of ireland.

https://www.tuamherald.ie/news/roundup/articles/2020/01/22/4184680-double-track-for-athenrygalway-route-in-the-pipeline/