RAILWAY campaigners have warned that Donegal is a “low and diminishing priority” for transport planners in Ireland.
They have claimed that the county’s biggest town is being snubbed and will not receive a railway focus for another quarter of a century.
The campaigners from the Into The West group, which was founded in 2004 to promote the rail needs of Donegal, plus Derry, Tyrone, issued the warning.
Its chairperson Steve Bradley said: “The problem is that Donegal is being pushed to the very bottom of the list for rail improvements nationwide.”
He continued: “Making Donegal the lowest rail restoration priority will carry an economic cost for this county.”
Into The West rail campaign chairperson Steve Bradley.
Mr Bradley added: “The next six months are crucial for bringing rail back to Donegal.
“We successfully pushed for Letterkenny to be included in the All-Island Rail Strategy that was published in the summer of 2024.
“That document agreed that Donegal should be reconnected to the island’s network as part of a north-west rail corridor – stretching from Letterkenny and Derry to Dublin.
“However, the strategy also gave the timescale for doing so as sometime beyond 2040.
“And now Iarnród Éireann has launched their own strategy for expanding rail nationwide.”
The Into The West group claimed that Irish Rail’s plans could “leave Letterkenny out of the network until at least 2050”.
Chairperson Bradley said: “We are concerned that this shows that Donegal is a low and diminishing priority for the transport authorities on the island.
“Yet another generation will be born and raised here before there is any chance of the county seeing rail again.”
The All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) is a joint initiative by Ireland’s Department of Transport and the North’s Department for Infrastructure.
AISRR outlines a 25-year plan to expand the island’s rail network to meet net-zero carbon targets, triple passenger capacity, and boost regional accessibility.
Into The West is now seeking to secure funding for a feasibility study into restoring the Letterkenny-Derry line as an essential first step this year.
Steve said: “It was fantastic that the All Island Rail Strategy recognised the need to bring trains back to Letterkenny.
“A strong transport network is essential for economic growth – so making Donegal the lowest rail restoration priority will carry an economic cost for this county, which already has the lowest incomes and highest poverty in the State.
“It is therefore essential that the timescale for restoring rail to Donegal is expedited to stop the county falling further behind.”
He added: “If the Irish Government is serious about ending Donegal’s status as the forgotten county, then they must get serious.”
Into The West will be discussing this and other rail issues at their Annual General Meeting this Saturday, May 23, in the North West Learning Disability Centre in Derry.