Any attempts to close part of the "non-core" section of Northern Ireland's railway network, including the stretch from Ballymena, Co Antrim, to Derry, would have a detrimental effect on the regional development of the north-west, a Donegal senator has warned.
Senator Joe McHugh also claims the move would fly in the face of the Irish Government's National Spatial Strategy.
According to the North's Railway Review Group report, substantial sums of money will be needed over the next five years to maintain rail services on the network.
The core network could require capital investment of £134 million and the lesser used sections, including Ballymena to Derry, and Belfast to Larne, may require £41 million over the next five years. In addition, an annual running cost subsidy of around £20 million will be required to maintain the current level of services.
Senator McHugh said it must be remembered that Derry and Letterkenny have been linked together under the Irish Government's National Spatial Strategy and a rail connection into Derry from Belfast is vital to the region's development.
"In the Republic, in the recent past, we followed a similar policy of closing down important parts of our extensive rail system, many of which connected the Border counties to Northern Ireland.
"This was a mistake and we are only now beginning to address this damaging trend. Only last week the re-opening of commuter rail services in Co Cork was announced, while in the west of Ireland there is a real hope that the Western Rail Corridor, which once ran from Sligo right through the west to Limerick city, will be reopened."
Senator McHugh is urging officials in the North not to support the closure of strategic lines. "Instead we need to be developing innovative policy proposals to increase their capacity and usage, particularly through tourism development and the expansion of cross-Border transport initiatives," he said.