An Taisce has come out against a proposal to build a gas pipeline to the north-west along the disused rail line from Claremorris to Sligo, saying the railway should instead be reopened as part of a western rail corridor from Cork to Sligo.
Heritage officer Mr Ian Lumley emphasised that An Taisce is in favour of natural gas being brought to the northwest but said it was "very foolish to prejudice the rail line". Gas should be used in combined heat and power plants to maximise its benefits.
He was responding to a proposal reported in this column last week, which was put forward by a group including Mr Ray MacSharry and an economics lecturer at the Institute of Technology in Sligo, Mr Felim O'Rourke.
The group maintains that a rail link between Claremorris and Sligo would not be viable.
Mr Lumley said that An Taisce would be proposing the western rail corridor as part of its submission on the national spatial strategy.
The line would link Cork airport, Cork city, Limerick, Shannon, Galway, Claremorris, Knock and Sligo.
He said the rail corridor could be viable as it would include commuter routes and would "alleviate car dependency". EU regional policy states that travel by rail should be faster than by road, but Ireland was not acting on this, he added.
"Our government has a very car-orientated policy, but this is a very short-term view." He said this would put Ireland in breach of international regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.
He said that given the very high level of EU funding and financial incentives available in the Border, midlands and western regions, the highest standards in planning and infrastructure and in the efficient use of energy and resources should be insisted upon.