Report on Western Rail Corridor described as 'fundamentally flawed'
The West on Track community campaign has described as ‘fundamentally flawed’ and ‘not fit for purpose’ a report by EY DKM consultants on the proposed reopening of the Mayo-Galway section of the Western Rail Corridor.
The EY report, believed to have cost in the region of €0.5 million, has been published by the Department of Transport together with a ‘Peer Review’ by Jaspers.
Speaking in Dail Éireann in September, the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, openly criticised the EY report for being ‘too narrow’ in its focus and said that any examination of the Western Rail Corridor had to be looked at in a ‘wider context’ than merely the passenger route from Athenry to Claremorris.
A spokesman for West on Track said today: "This EY report seeks to gold plate the costs of reopening the railway in a most extraordinary manner while understating the benefits in order to ensure that the resultant cost-benefit analysis will be negative.
"It is unthinkable that such a flawed report could ever be allowed to form the basis for an informed decision on the future of this key piece of infrastructure.
‘Crucially, while the report projects initial passenger numbers of more than half a million, and admits it would have major economic benefits, the Chapter on Financial Assessment opens with the extraordinary statement that: ‘This chapter does not consider any of the wider economic benefits which might also arise should the WRC be reactivated, meaning that it does not consider the full benefits associated with the Western rail Corridor.’
"This, despite the specific requirements of the terms of reference and the assurances provided by Iarnród Eireann to the Joint Oireachtas Committee that it would not be a narrow financial appraisal.
"The fact of the matter is that this report is a blatant example of how cost benefit analysis can be manipulated at public expense.
"The capital costs are more than doubled and the benefits are understated by 60%.
"The accompanying Jaspers review reflects how unaware that EU institution is of the fact that the west of Ireland is in economic decline due to lack of transport connectivity.’
"The arguments for reopening the WRC are as valid now as they have ever been.
"Balanced regional development based on connectivity and sustainability is the only justification needed for reopening this rail line and no consultant’s report, however expensive, can be allowed to alter that fact.
"Not surprisingly, the heavily ‘gold-plated’ EY report fails to give proper consideration to the development of the Atlantic Economic Corridor or to Balanced Regional Development and ignores the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.’
"There is widespread political cross-party support for the reopening of this railway. In fact, 65 TDs and senators supported a submission to EY to that effect.
"We now call on all public representatives in the west to stand up for our region and to insist that this flawed report will not be allowed to become yet another case of cost benefit paralysis at the expense of the west of Ireland."