Waterford learns no train on the horizon from Rosslare
The 2024 All-Island Strategic Rail Review proposed re-opening the Rosslare-Waterford Railway line. However, the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy published in 2025 omitted the line.
Talks were held over incorporating the South East Greenway into the former Rosslare-Waterford Railway line.
Unfortunately, questions remain over the prospect of the line ever reopening.
At the latest Piltown Municipal District meeting, senior engineer Tony Lauhoff spoke about the potential development.
He said: "I'm not sure of the background to this agenda item but to recap where we're at on that section of railway; the Special Projects Office of Wexford County Council were advancing a proposal to develop a greenway along that route.
"It was a preliminary design stage when the All-Island Strategic Rail Review commenced, so the project was stalled at that stage."
The 2024 All-Island Strategic Rail Review proposed re-opening the Rosslare-Waterford Railway line. However, the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy published in 2025 omitted the line.
Mr. Lauhoff said: "It would seem that it is a longer-term objective to re-open that section of railway line.
"It is included as an objective in the Ferrybank framework plan for the railway to be reopened. It would seem very much a long-term objective rather than a short and medium-term one."
Mr. Lauhoff accepted that there was a "level of disappointment" that the reopening was not included as a "short or medium-term project". He went on to say: "We could potentially get some kind of timeline on that."
Councillor Tomás Breathnach asked Mr. Lauhoff if he would query the rationale of the rail line being "long-fingered" in 2025.
