MEP Mullooly backs call for rail return
A local MEP – leading an EU delegation on a visit to the west this week – has called on both national policymakers and EU institutions to prioritise funding for projects like the Western Rail Corridor.
Ciaran Mullooly MEP joined Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education Marian Harkin in Athenry on Tuesday to discuss the critical need for improved rail connectivity in the region.
Discussions there centred on the long-running campaign for the completion of the Sligo to Limerick railway line, a project that would transform transport and economic opportunities in the region.
The delegation heard from representatives of the Western Rail Corridor Committee, who outlined a €440 million proposal to complete the final 70km of the rail line between Claremorris and Sligo.
They said that the Western Rail Corridor has long been seen as a crucial piece of infrastructure to connect rural communities and provide a sustainable alternative to car dependency.
“It’s essential that after 20 years of work and advocacy, we see this rail line completed within the next decade. People need this vital infrastructure in place,” said Mr Mullooly afterwards.
“At the moment, anyone commuting from Galway to Sligo must endure a six-hour-and-forty-minute ordeal via Dublin, which is simply ridiculous in this day and age. With the proposed extension, this journey would take just over two hours,” he added.
The overall mission, initiated by MEP Mullooly and co-hosted by MEP Maria Walsh, aims to highlight how EU funding can address infrastructure gaps and support sustainable development in rural communities.
“This mission is about listening to communities, understanding their needs, and ensuring that EU resources are used effectively to support their aspirations. The completion of this rail line is not just an investment in infrastructure—it’s an investment in people,” said the MEP, who is rapporteur for cohesion policy within REGI and Vice Chair of the new EU Housing Crisis Committee.
Mr Mullooly was joined by his European colleagues on the REGI Committee, Ľubica Karvašová from Slovakia; Krzysztof Hetman from Poland; Raul De La Hoz Quintano from Spain, and Portuguese MRP Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral.
“I was very impressed with the response from my European colleagues regarding this much-needed development of the rail line,” said the local MEP.
“With their vast experience in rail infrastructure projects in countries like Spain, Portugal, and Slovakia, it is heartening that they have pledged their full support for these proposals,” he added.
The REGI mission has been designed to give visiting MEPs a first-hand understanding of Ireland’s challenges and opportunities.
The MEPs are taking in visits to Galway Port, ATU Mountbellew, and Carrownagappul Bog outside Mountbellew, as well as the broader Midlands region as well.
Pictured|: Rail call...Ciaran Mullooly MEP during Tuesday’s meeting with Minister of State Marian Harkin and Maria Walsh MEP in Athenry.