Press release From: The Western Rail Trail campaign
September 7th 2018 for immediate release
- Debate about greenway hots up in Galway
- Deputy Sean Canney claims Taoiseach “MAY” support Railway and makes accusations against his fellow Galway East TDs
- Minister Ciaran Cannon says Canneys comments “profoundly disappointing”
- Hundreds of local businesses now support Greenway in County Galway
A spokesman for the Western rail Trail Campaign to preserve the alignment of the closed rail line from Athenry to Collooney by utilising the route for tourism and leisure as a greenway, until such time as a railway may be possible, today said claims being made by Deputy Sean Canney of Galway East that he may have secured the support of the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar for the Western Rail Corridor as strange.
A spokesperson for the Western Rail Trail campaign said “we find Mr Canneys claims surprising perhaps even strange. In 2014 Mr Varadkar stated on an RTE Prime Time interview that “The Western Rail Corridor was built for political reasons and never stacked up on economic grounds nor on transport planning grounds” The interview comments were placed on YouTube by Greenway supporters and can still be seen by anyone.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07kR1YDn9lM
In addition Mr Varadkar stated in an email to Mr Brendan Quinn of the Western Rail Trail Campaign in June 2013 that “the Government has no plans to extend the western rail corridor nor any other heavy rail line in the state”.
More recently in the Dail, on February 14th 2018 Mr Varadkar stated the cost benefit case for the Railway to re-open would need to be a cost of 100 to a benefit of 80. As he understood it the current cost benefit analysis on the Western Rail Corridor had shown a cost of 100 and benefit of 6 (six).
“With these kind of comments coming from the Taoiseach in the recent past we find it difficult to believe he is suddenly going to start supporting The Western Rail Corridor said the Greenway campaign spokesman. It just seems so highly unlikely as to be absurd.”
Minister Ciaran Cannon, also a TD in Galway East has commented about Mr Canneys accusations made about him and Deputy Anne Rabbitte in regard to the Greenway campaign which they both support.
In a statement issued by Minister Ciaran Cannon on September 6th he said he found Mr Canneys comments “profoundly disappointing” Mr Cannon was referring to the personal comments Mr Canney made about him and Deputy Anne Rabbitte who both support the pro-tourism greenway project to bring jobs to the Galway East area the greenway will pass through.
Minister Cannon also suggested Mr Canney should “take some time to study the number of retailers, business people, private individuals, sports organisations, schools and other stakeholders in Athenry, Tuam and Milltown who actually support the creation of the Quiet Man Greenway”
The Western Rail Trail campaign spokesman said “Thousands of people in the Galway East area are now demanding and supporting a Greenway, it seems that Mr Canney is making these claims to try and muddy the waters for a county council vote on a greenway feasibility study on September 24th” from outside the council chamber.
ENDS: body text 473 words Contacts: Brendan Quinn 087 4198193 Find us on Facebook: sligomayogreenwaycampaign
email brenquinn@eircom.net