Five counties on the island of Ireland currently have no access to rail = Tyrone, Donegal, Fermanagh, Cavan & Monaghan.

A draft version of the 'All-Island Strategic Rail Review' document was released in July 2023. The document seeks to outline the strategic plan for rail across the island over the next 30+ years.

Unbelievably that draft strategy seeks to restore rail to every county on the island - except Fermanagh.  This is despite Enniskillen exceedng the minimum 10,000 population the Review says is required for rail. Plus the fact that the Review recommends re-opening rail routes through other areas with smaller populations and a weaker case than Enniskillen.

For a major government-commissioned strategy to single Fermanagh out for neglect in this way is unacceptable and unforgivable. The proposal represents the governments north and south of the Border putting two fingers up to Fermanagh, and formalising the neglect that the county has suffered for decades.

What makes it worse is that the Fermanagh-Omagh District accounted for the HIGHEST number of submissions to the Rail Review's public consultation (January 2022). Over 1,000 people from the area contributed to say that they want to see rail return to both Fermanagh and Omagh - and yet their views have been disregarded.

We call on the Department for Infrastructure in NI, the Department for Transport in ROI, and Arup Consultancy (who developed the draft strategy) to Play FAIR By Fermanagh - and include restoration of rail to the county wihin their strategy.

Into The West is campaigning for the restoration of an Omagh-Enniskillen-Sligo rail corridor (see map below). That would put Fermanagh back at the heart of the island's rail network again - benefitting residents, businesses and tourists. It would take a significant number of cars and lorries off of Fermanagh's roads. And it would better connect the county's residents to job opportunities, education, training and health provision elsewhere. It would also link every major town and city along the western half of the island together by rail - from Letterkenny and Derry all the way to Cork, via Enniskillen and Sligo.

Fermanagh speaks with one voice to say it is unacceptable to make it the only county without rail. Rail connectivity through Fermanagh and Enniskillen MUST be restored in the final version of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, by recommending that an Omagh-Enniskillen-Sligo rail corridor be reinstated