Western Rail Corridor / Rail Trail

And is probably going to get more embarrassing when that audit is revealed and other documents of note.

Sounds like an interesting assignment for an auditor.

Like figuring out why an overclaim on funding by a development company was repaid by the council.

Just which of them is running the job? Or not running it, as seems to be the case last time I looked.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was another funding application in a few years to modify the carts and put proper tyres on them so that they can be used on a greenway. Probably presented as protecting the initial investment, not letting taxpayers money go to waste, etc.

More good news for the West and North West today, next step lets see the N17 upgrade from Collooney to Knock bypass done. Supply chain planners, locals and tourist trade coming into the north west will be delighted with this news!

Its well over a thousand on the Quiet Many Greenway, Mayo county plan got a 1000 submissions supporting the greenway on the Mayo county plan earlier this year, it's some response from the public, of course the issue is will this momentum of public support even get a hearing on the floor of the chambers in both councils; difficult to say, personally I doubt it and the diehard anti greenway cllrs will continue with the ever more tired mantra we have all got tired of.

https://connachttribune.ie/traders-group-voices-opposition-to-athenry-pedestrianisation-proposals/

I am. I believe she feels that the businesses response to the consultation process regarding Athenry Market Square was so negative that Fáilte Ireland & other bodies that would 'invest' in the town were not impressed & have 'relegated' the town in their minds as a place to develop tourism etc.

Truth is, the consultation process, even if it was flawed, was what it is, and the traders group got the chance along with other community groups who'd signed up to be on Town teams, to see the plans first. Interestingly, their negative response to the plan moved many of the public to put in positive submissions & feedback when it opened up to the public. I got the impression that the team running the project were surprised at the amount of interest with over 260 submissions in the end (both public, private, business & groups)

What I cannot understand from this article and the previous one is the fact the Council in question Mayo, has launched an appeal into the findings of the Audit conducted upon them by Departmental auditors, I know the council has refused an FOI to release the audit, but I am sure that will come out in due course, but for a council to object to the findings of an audit suggests something pretty untoward was going on. It is going to make interesting reading when that audit is finally released into the public domain. The question is would they have returned that €80K for the velorail carts that were funded twice if they hadn't been caught out. Answers on the back of a stamp please......🤔

Sean Canney:

My question relates to Intel and its shortlisting of Oranmore in Galway as a possible location for a multimillion euro manufacturing facility. I am envious of Leixlip in County Kildare when the Taoiseach talks about the number of construction workers alone operating there. The proposal for a facility in Oranmore would create 10,000 jobs in the region. It has also highlighted the potential and attractiveness we have in the west and north and how we can make sure we are prepared to take on this opportunity infrastructure-wise.

The EU recently categorised the north and west of this country as a region in transition, a lagging industrial region and a moderate innovator. This was done on the basis of measuring our performance in that area. There are eight counties involved, including Cavan, which is the county represented by the Minister sitting beside the Taoiseach, as well as Monaghan, Donegal and the five counties in Connacht. A project of the size proposed by Intel will demand that we have support coming into that site in Oranmore, if it comes, and, if it does not come, some other company will come and do it. We need to have the supports in place to deliver the services, construction and workforce to make sure this project, if it comes or there is another of the same scale, will be transformative for the west of Ireland.

With the national development plan being looked at currently - I understand the process is called Review to Renew - it is important we take into account where we are in that region and the infrastructure we need to make sure it can reach its full potential. It has the attractiveness but it needs a lot more than that. We need to provide the infrastructure and the wastewater facilities in the east of County Galway that are required and being promoted by Galway County Council. We need to provide the outer ring road in Galway city to make sure people can move around the city and get into it. We must ensure all the workers coming from the east of the county, where my constituency is, can get into work. More importantly, we also have to look at what other infrastructure is required. Phases 1 and 2 of the western rail corridor are waiting to be done. They would link in Castlebar, Ballina and Westport, as well as Limerick, to support a project such as the one that is proposed. I ask the Taoiseach to consider all of that.

The last point I raise is that we need to create that attractiveness for people to come, live, work and enjoy life in the region. We also must put in place a proper, structured cancer care centre for the region. We need to make sure it has a full research and innovation structure within it. It is important that Ireland be at the heart of the European Beating Cancer Plan.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

The first point I would like to make is the Government is very committed to regional development and to reorientating the economic development of the country, rebalancing it and making sure we get greater activity across the regions generally and particularly the west and north west. The Deputy referenced one plant. That is an ongoing issue the company itself will determine but it is interesting from an industrial policy point of view that we are saying to a lot of companies that are investing in Ireland to consider the regions and that we can help to assemble land banks to facilitate significant industrial development.

The Deputy referenced the Minister seated beside me, Deputy Humphreys. More than €42 million has been allocated from the Department of Rural and Community Development. Under the rural regeneration development fund, Portumna received approximately €2.5 million in funding for a project that will redevelop the historic courthouse building and courtyard in the town. In the context of the national development plan, we are very conscious of the issues that have been raised, especially relating to the western rail corridor. All of the Deputies in the House, cross-party, have been in touch in respect of this and, obviously, the Ministers from the region have also. I know the Minister, Deputy McGrath, is fully aware of the desire of all Oireachtas representatives to have that developed.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has launched a strategic rail review that will examine all aspects of interurban and interregional rail and will be conducted on an all-island basis in full co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. It will provide a strategic backdrop to investment in our rail network for the next 20 years and more, and it will consider the potential of currently lightly used lines like Limerick to Waterford, disused lines like the western rail corridor, and the potential for new alignments. The review has just commenced and will be completed within 12 months. As I say, there is considerable advocacy on behalf of this corridor from all of the Ministers and Deputies representing the western region and we will, obviously, continue to pursue that in the context of the national development plan.

I point out the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, is spearheading the development of a new west regional enterprise plan. It is a bottom-up plan that was developed by regional stakeholders, including the local authorities, enterprise agencies, local enterprise offices, regional skills forums and education and training institutes in each region. Under the regional enterprise development fund and the Border enterprise development fund, about €16.7 million has now been allocated to approximately nine enterprise-focused projects for the region. We will continue, in the context of all the various initiatives under different Departments, to advance the economic development of the west and we fully take on board the points raised in respect of the necessity to do that and the importance of the western rail corridor in that context.

"Phases 1 and 2 of the western rail corridor are waiting to be done."

🤨

Maybe it will come as a pleasant surprise?

Ah Eamon Ryan, the only environmentalist who gets more excited about a rural rail line which would carry literally tens of people a day, than about a Metro in the capital city which would carry ten thousand. Some say that he's a dreamer, that's just because he has nodded off again.

Does anyone know when the All Island Rail review report is due to publish its findings? I wonder will the WRC get a mention in it?

Yep me too, in the meantime lets also allow the northern section of this long distance greenway from Athenry to Collooney to get built. Sligo section Collooney to Charlestown is slowly going through all the pre-planning due diligence, the issue of Charlestown to Claremorris is a fly in the ointment with Mayo coco steadfastly refusing to bend on this one. More pressure needed on them by the East Mayo Greenway Group. It will come about. The ill fated Velorail project is not looking so good to happen, it appears some shenanigans going on in relation to how they got so much money on a fly by night series of grants......Apparently MCC have been gone over with a fine tooth comb in an audit completed on the velorail funding, more fund and games to come on that one.