Dear Editor,
I would like to express my frustration towards the lacklustre All Island Strategic Review put forth by the Northern Ireland Department of Infrastructure and the Department of Transport. It starkly excludes Donegal and Leitrim from the requisite infrastructural enhancements they desperately need.
Looking at the planning maps produced by these departments, it is clear that there are no projected improvements specifically for Donegal aside from a proposed railway between Letterkenny and Derry. What’s noticeably missing is a vital railway connection between Sligo and Dublin. As a result, locals like me would have to embark on a rather inconvenient journey to Derry before continuing on to the southern regions.
The absence of a proposed railway line between Letterkenny and Sligo is deeply concerning, as is the disproportionate allocation of infrastructure investments in the eastern, southeastern, southern, and southwestern areas. It’s almost as though we are not considered citizens of the Republic, when we, as taxpayers, deserve to have equal investment in infrastructure as seen in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
The purported push for a green ideology appears to favour reducing road space and expanding cycle lanes, meanwhile places like Dublin and Cork continue to reap the benefits of infrastructural developments like motorway expansions and enhanced railway connections. It seems our northern areas are being unjustly left behind.
Moving forward, I implore everyone to reconsider the misleading concept of “All Island” strategies and remind them that the Republic is a collective of 26 counties, not an exclusive club for the privileged few as implied in this current plan.
Yours faithfully,
CHRISTY GALLIGAN,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir,
To add to Michael McDowell’s argument about an elevated Luas to the Dublin Airport, wouldn’t it make more sense to build a Dart line that begins at Dún Laoghaire and follows the existing track up until Clongriffin?
A proposed railway pathway could detour to the left after this stop, heading towards the airport. It might then continue underground with stops at each terminal, following the M50 route to its endpoint at Carrickmines. This project would not only provide a straight link from Dublin Airport to the main tech centres in Sandyford and Grand Canal Docks, but it would also link with the Navan, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork, and Waterford railways. Starting from Dún Laoghaire, a person could change here for Wexford, and going through Connolly Station, the line to Belfast would also be accessible, allowing every railway network on the island to connect to Dublin Airport.
It is astonishing to me that this concept does not seem to be readily apparent. To my mind, this represents a transformative development in our infrastructure. Alongside this, the Luas could still continue to the airport, perhaps extended as far as Swords.
MARK HANNON,
Germany.
Sir, the recently published rail review speaks to a more interconnected Ireland in the future. I, too, find myself aligning with Michael McDowell’s scepticism regarding the prospective Metrolink, especially considering the substantial cost and complex delivery challenges associated with it. Surely there are simpler overground alternatives to be examined?
Have urban planners thought about incorporating ‘sky trains’ within our cities to increase the range, value, and delivery pace of our rail infrastructure? These trains have proven successful in various cities worldwide, with Mumbai, Vancouver, and Düsseldorf providing viable models.
AILBHE MURRAY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.