Two years ago, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, with his Northern Ireland colleague Nicola Mallon, appointed the engineering consultants Ove Arup to conduct a review of rail investment for the 32 counties. The review published this week recommends a reprieve for the Western Rail Corridor through Claremorris, which failed to convince consultants Ernst and Young in a 2020 report. They rejected the scheme on cost/benefit grounds, an analysis required by the Public Spending Code. They felt that there would not be enough traffic to justify the expense. Ove Arup envisages a rail freight service from Ballina and Westport to Rosslare…

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