The Dunleer Train Station committee
Local TD Gerry Adams has offered his backing for the current campaign to reopen Dunleer Train Station.
The Sinn Féin president attended Monday night’s meeting in Ardee in support of the reopening of the station, which has been closed since 1984.
Deputy Adams has now joined with other TDs and Senators in Louth in asking Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar for an early meeting to discuss this issue.
Commeting on Monday’s meeting in Ardee, Adams praised the presentation made by the committee to the meeting.
He said: “I support the demand that Dunleer Railway station should be reopened and welcome the very positive presentation by the committee which set out in a very logical and clear fashion the overwhelming case for the reopening of Dunleer Railway station
“Several weeks ago I wrote to Minister Varadkar asking him for his ‘views on the reopening of Dunleer railway station’.
“In his response the Minister said that there are ‘no current plans to re-open Dunleer station and no proposal in that regard has been made to my Department’.
“The Minister said that CIE is in a ‘difficult financial position and is dependent on continued bank funding. It has no resources of its own available to fund new projects and there is no funding in the current capital plan for Dunleer station’.
“However Minister Varadkar also revealed that ‘consideration of a new government capital investment plan beyond 2016 will begin shortly and consideration can be given to this project within that overall process.’
“This presents an important opportunity to create the circumstances in which a business plan can be agreed and public support galvanised for the reopening of Dunleer Railway station.
“Of course, persuading the government will not be easy and the campaign needs maximum support in its endeavours. It also needs to thoroughly examine what financial support is available from Europe. I have asked my colleague Martina Anderson MEP to pursue this aspect.
“There is an irresistible logic in support of reopening Dunleer Railway station. The economic benefits for the local community and for Mid Louth and Meath are obvious. The growing population and the employment opportunities in Dundalk, Belfast, Drogheda and Dublin make the revitalisation of this vital transport link a priority,” said Adams.
