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Donegal T.D., launches online
railway petition
14.01.08
A DONEGAL North East
T.D., has launched an online petition to bring a
rail link back to the North West. Deputy Joe McHugh
said he was "sick and tired" of the Government's
"lackadaisical attitude" to infrastructure in the
region.
He said he would present his petition to the
Department of Transport to highlight the level of
dissatisfaction felt by the public in Donegal,
Derry, Sligo and Leitrim that they remain without a
rail link in the year 2008. We want a fair return on
our taxes and it’s time we reminded those in Dublin
that we pay the same taxes as them," said Deputy
McHugh. |
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"I call on the people
of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Derry to get behind
the campaign to improve the state of the
infrastructure system.
"Since I entered Leinster House almost six years
ago, I have been campaigning for a rail link from
Sligo to Derry via Letterkenny. Cross-border
co-operation seems to |
be the buzz word at the
moment yet Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey seems to
have no interest in providing a very viable
infrastructural project. I am asking the public to
back this campaign."
Deputy McHugh said the railway line would give a
"huge boost" to the tourism industry in the region.
"Fáilte Ireland are working very closely with their
Northern counterparts at the moment but we need a
proper North West infrastructure link if we are to
progress as a region."
He referred to tourism conference in Letterkenny
last week on how to attract visitors on a cross
border basis.
"We can’t expect tourists to come to the region if
we have not got the proper structures in place. If
we link Sligo, Letterkenny and Derry through rail
the entire region of the North West will be opened
up.
"Tourists arriving into the airports in Belfast
could travel to Derry, Letterkenny or Sligo via
train. This is the kind of service we need. No
amount of marketing is going to make up for a lack
of infrastructure."
The petition is available at
www.donegalmatters.com with a facility to leave
your comments. |
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