Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has “expressed concern and disappointment” regarding the exclusion of Fermanagh from a major new rail strategy that could transform the railway network in Northern Ireland and across the island of Ireland.

Following the launch of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review in 2021, the Council welcomed the opportunity to make a submission.

“The Council’s submission reflected the need for the reinstatement of railway across the district, including not just our main towns, but wider rural hinterland,” said a Council spokesperson.

“In this context, the Council contributed to the response which was submitted by the Mid South West Growth Deal and was also supportive of the consultation response submitted by Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN).”

During the meeting of the Council on July 25, “concern and disappointment was expressed” regarding the exclusion of County Fermanagh from the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review draft Report.

Commenting on this, a Council spokesperson said: “The Council is aware that a consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment has been launched by the Department for Transport and the Department for Infrastructure, and the Council will be responding to this.

“It is not yet known whether a formal cross-Border consultation on the full content of the report will be launched when the Northern Ireland Assembly is re-established.”

The Council spokesperson noted that as well as making a response to the previous consultation, the Council has also met with and made representations to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ministers for Infrastructure, the Shared Island Unit and Ministers of State at the Northern Ireland Office.

The Council has also met with rail interest groups, including Into the West. It believes there are “multiple benefits” that the reinstatement of the railway would provide.

“These include improved connectivity to and within the District which would have a positive impact on tourism and investment in the area as well as the convenience and travel time for residents. It would also contribute to the Council’s commitment to achieve a Net Zero District by 2042.”

This newspaper asked the Council if it had commissioned a feasibility study to confirm the benefits of rail connectivity to Fermanagh.

The Council spokesperson responded: “A feasibility [study] usually relates to the technical feasibility of completing a particular project.

“The competent authority for undertaking such an assessment in relation to rail would be the Department of Infrastructure.

“Usually benefits are considered in an economic impact assessment (or equivalent) and generally are predicated upon defined routes; The Council has not commissioned any such assessment at this stage.

“While the current exclusion of rail connectivity through Fermanagh is disappointing, the details above and the fact that the Council’s representations in relation to the reinstatement of the route through Omagh and on to Derry/Londonderry are included in the recommendations, demonstrate that the Council has, and continues, to take this matter seriously,” the Council spokesperson concluded.