FRUSTRATION has been voiced by a Clare TD on the lack of focus placed on progressing flood relief works at Ballycar and on reopening Crusheen railway station, both of which are situated on the Ennis to Limerick rail line.
Clare TD, Joe Cooney (FG) has called on the Department of Transport to move swiftly to secure funding and designate a lead agency to progress vital flood relief works on the Ennis to Limerick rail line at Ballycar, and to accelerate progress on the proposed reopening of Crusheen railway station.
A long-awaited report compiled by RPS Consulting was undertaken for Iarnród Éireann and stakeholder representatives from Clare County Council, the Office of Public Works (OPW), the Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) and the National Parks & Wildlife Services (NPWS). This study recommends a new preferred option of a technically viable drainage scheme that would (prevent flooding of the railway occurring whilst also including any flood mitigation measures downstream that would be necessary either directly or indirectly with this option.
Deputy Cooney stated, “This report finally sets out a technically feasible solution to a problem that has plagued passengers and rail services for years. We now have a clear roadmap to prevent flooding of the line and manage downstream impacts. What’s urgently needed is the political will to fund and deliver it”.
An estimate from 2020 detailed that the preferred solution would cost €16.7m including VAT but CEO of Iarnród Éireann Jim Meade admitted this figure is now closer to €25m. He said the project would take two to three years to deliver once signed off on.
According to Deputy Cooney for the project to proceed, a government department must identify a funding source and appoint a responsible agency, as the proposed works fall outside railway property. “This project is shovel-ready, and it simply needs the green light. Each winter brings renewed risk of disruption. I’m calling on the Department of Transport to prioritise this scheme before further delays impact rail services and passengers in Clare. He added that the works should be viewed in the broader context of the Western Rail Corridor, “Securing reliable access into Limerick, and potentially to Shannon Airport, is critical to the long-term viability of the entire project”.
Lack of progress on reopening the Crusheen railway station was also a source of frustration for the O’Callaghans Mills native. Clare County Council has submitted a funding application under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) to support a broader community-led project in Crusheen that includes preliminary work to advance the station’s reopening.
“Iarnród Éireann has already backed the council’s application, but unless the RRDF application is approved, this project won’t move past the starting line,” Cooney said. “There is strong community support for restoring rail services to Crusheen, and we should be doing everything possible to make that happen.”
A decision on the RRDF application is expected by September 2025. If successful, it will enable a prefeasibility study on local transport needs, including the potential reopening of the station. “I will continue to raise this at every level to ensure that Crusheen and Ballycar are not left behind. Investment in rural rail must match the ambition of our communities,” Cooney concluded.
