MINISTER for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan, spoke of his support and hope for the re-opening of the Great Northern Railway in Monaghan during a visit to Clones on Tuesday, July 31.
“I would advocate the re-development of the railway in Monaghan; I know there are a lot of commuters travelling from Monaghan to Dublin daily that would avail of a rail service.
“It would mean a big investment but, I believe it would support a large catchment area. I would encourage feasibility studies to assess the possibility of re-opening the railway line and perhaps then continuing it into Northern Ireland,” Minister Ryan said.
These comments come only weeks after the re-opening of the Ulster Canal was confirmed. “The re-opening of the Ulster Canal is hugely significant for Clones and the surrounding areas and it certainly had my full support,” said Minister Ryan.
The Green Party member was visiting Clones where he enjoyed a private lunch before visiting an environmental project in Cavan with fellow party member and Monaghan County Councillor VP Martin.
Minister Ryan also placed emphasis on the local entrepreneurial spirit “One of our best natural resources is the good entrepreneurs we have in the North East. It is very important that we encourage this business fervour for the future of Cavan and Monaghan.”
The minister also stressed the importance of fully utilising the spectacular landscapes of Cavan and Monaghan and further developing its tourism potential. The GNR was closed fifty years ago and will be commemorated across Monaghan during Heritage week this August.