It is claimed that Donegal has been snubbed by the Shared Island Fund
RAIL campaigners have warned that a €1.5bn project to improve transport across Ireland has “missed an opportunity” for Donegal.
They are referring to the Shared Island Fund that was established in 2021 by the Taoiseach’s office to boost connection throughout the island.
In the latest round of funding, which was announced this week, some €230m was announced for various rail projects – but not Donegal.
The campaigners from the Into The West group, which was founded in 2004 to promote the rail needs of Donegal, plus Derry, Tyrone, responded to warn of the “missed opportunity”.
A spokesperson said: “The latest, and supposedly final, funding round was announced on Tuesday.
“It includes a total of €230m for various rail projects and some €93m of that is to be spent extending DART services north from Dublin to Drogheda.
“Another €34.5m is to continue the hourly Belfast to Dublin rail service and almost €100m is for track renewal projects in Northern Ireland.
“Some €86m of it is being spent on a 14 mile section of the Derry to Belfast railway line.
“We are disappointed that Donegal has been forgotten yet again in this latest Shared Island rail announcement.
“We are concerned that yet another generation will be born and raised here before there is any chance of the county seeing rail again.”
The Into The West group also warned in May that plans announced by Irish Rail – which included a strategy for expanding rail nationwide – could “leave Letterkenny out of the network until at least 2050”.
The group’s chairman Steve Bradley claimed Donegal’s biggest town Letterkenny is being snubbed and will not receive a railway focus for another quarter of a century.
This week, Mr Bradley said: “It was fantastic that there is recognition of the need to bring trains back to Letterkenny.
“The problem is that Donegal is being pushed to the very bottom of the list for rail improvements nationwide.
“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.
“It is essential that the timescale for restoring rail to Donegal is expedited to stop the county falling further behind.”
He added: “The opening step in bringing rail back to Letterkenny is an official feasibility study.
“Until that is completed, nothing can move forwards.
“Because no such feasibility study has been conducted on Letterkenny rail, it is stuck in limbo.”
He continued: “Some will say that Donegal should focus only on road improvements for now.
“But it is important to note that no other region on this island has to choose between decent roads or decent rail.
“With Letterkenny regularly choked with traffic congestion already, providing alternative ways for people to make journeys is increasingly vital.
“It is therefore essential that the feasibility study on bringing rail back to Letterkenny gets funded and completed this year.”