By Rebecca Crockett
OVER half of students in Donegal say they have been affected by poor transport links across the county, according to a survey by the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) on Tuesday.
The survey asked 470 students across Donegal about their opinions on transportation in their area with 54.1 per cent of respondents feeling services did not meet a decent level.
The report is entitled ‘The Forgotten County’. Writing in the report, Donegal regional officer for the ISSU, Cassie Lambe states: “The ISSU strongly believes that we need to facilitate the construction of train lines in Donegal.
This not only benefits the students but the entirety of the Donegal population.”
A massive 93 per cent of students believe that trains in Donegal would make a more reliable and environmentally friendly transport system.
In July, The Department of Transport and the Department of Infrastructure published the ‘All-Island Strategic Rail Review’ which recommended a single-track line between Derry and Letterkenny.
Estimates suggest the proposals could cost between €35 billion and €36.8bn and take 25 years to complete.
Instead, the ISSU proposes “the much cheaper, quicker and simpler idea” of connecting Donegal with Sligo and maintaining the Claremorris line.
Writing in the report, the ISSU stated: “This would not only be beneficial for tourists but for students who are from the likes of Donegal, and they would like to attend Galway ATU it would be a far similar journey. You are connecting four Universities and nine Campuses.”
Worrying figures also show that 63.3 per cent of the respondents didn’t see themselves in Donegal after secondary school. As well as that 42.4 per cent said their college choices have been affected by transportation in the area.
“All students should have the opportunity to equal access to education and to strive for the end of all forms of injustice within the Irish education system.
The future of Donegal’s Transportation relies now on the next generation. Us. The young people,” added the ISSU.
The County Donegal Railway was the largest narrow-gauge railway system in the British Isles until its closure in 1952.
Trains on average require 12 times less energy and emit 7:11 times less GHGs per passenger kilometre than private vehicles.
Speaking during the launch of the report, Ms Lambe encouraged conversation on the ways Donegal has become a “forgotten county” saying: “The Irish government prided itself on the mission ‘a better quality of life for all’, they have disappointed their quote as well as the residents of Donegal.
I hope that this report will materialize and get the conversation started.”
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