The next phase of the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris is now a ‘project in motion’ – and that all necessary steps are being taken to progress it as quickly as possible.

That’s what Galway East TD and Minister of State at the Department of Transport with Responsibility for Rail, Seán Canney, told a meeting of the Western Inter-County Railway Committee in Galway last week.

“This is a priority project and we are working as hard as we can to deliver it as soon as possible,” he said.

“The All-Island Strategic Rail Review has set out a roadmap for the development of rail across the whole island with 32 strategic recommendations including the redevelopment of the Athenry-Claremorris line.

“The redevelopment of the Limerick-Foynes line, a major development for the entire west of Ireland, is scheduled for completion in 2026 and has greatly enhanced the business case for the WRC,” he added.

Minister Canney revealed that the Department of Transport was currently engaged with the European Investment Bank, and the business case for Athenry/Claremorris is being put in place.

His comments come days after the Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport that this business case is looking very positive.

Minister Canney said he was pushing for this to be implemented ‘as quickly as possible’.

“We do not require planning permission because the line was protected for future rail use. Preliminary planning and studies have already begun so it is now a question of when and not if the project is delivered,” he said.

“We have a lot of money in the revised National Development Plan which will be published next month. So we are in a great place with implementation plans being prepared and no one is talking negatively about the WRC anymore,” he added.

Cllr. Michael Connolly, chair of the Inter-County Railway Committee, welcomed the Minister’s confirmation that the Athenry-Claremorris rail link is going ahead.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of this development for our region. It is a vindication of all the hard work that has been put into the campaign by our local representatives and voluntary community groups over many years,” he said.

“The redevelopment of the WRC as both a passenger and freight railway was recommended in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review published in 2023 and we understand that it will be a priority project in the forthcoming National Development Plan,” he added.

Colmán Ó Raghallaigh of West on Track described confirmation that the Athenry-Claremorris rail link was going ahead as ‘enormously significant for the entire western region and for the rail network at large’.

“This project is about so much more than the 55km of track between Claremorris and Athenry,” he said.

“In fact, this vital link will enable the creation of a 250km passenger network from every major town in Mayo through Tuam and on to Galway and Limerick.

“In terms of freight it will connect many of our critical manufacturing companies in the west directly to the deep-water ports of Foynes and Waterford, a network of some 450km,” he added.

Also on the day, the Head Architect of Iarnród Éireann Liam Boyce gave a presentation on the redevelopment of Ceannt Station in Eyre Square where refurbishment works are proceeding at pace.

When completed in quarter three of next year the greatly expanded capacity of the station will be able to facilitate additional services from Dublin and from north and south of Galway.

The meeting concluded with an official visit, hosted by Iarnród Éireann, to see the progress of work at Ceannt Station.

Pictured: Galway East TD and Minister of State at the Department of Transport with Responsibility for Rail, Seán Canney