Papers show Government persisted with rail plans despite warnings

It has emerged that the Government continued with plans to restore much of the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) even though it was thought that it would only be carrying 750 passengers a day.
It could also need an annual grant of E10 million.

The Government also rejected an assessment by the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) in February 2005. This found that the WRC’s catchment area was characterised by low population density with no “critical mass”.
The WRC runs from Sligo to Limerick. The only section to be reopened is the 40km stretch between Limerick and Ennis.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act show that Pat McCann, chairman of the working party set up in 2004 to look at the possibility of reopening the rest of the line, expressed doubt in a draft report outlined in 2005.
“I have not heard any economic, commercial or social arguments that would justify the complete restoration of the line as one project and I would not support such a proposal.

“It would be prudent to postpone consideration of a second section for restoration until the first section proves to be successful and similarly for the third and fourth sections,” the draft report stated.
The cost of reopening the WRC came to E365.7 million.