WEST Cork’s rail network should be revived, Senator Noel O’Donovan (FG) said as he vowed to raise the issue in the Seanad.

‘If there was a train tomorrow morning, people would utilise it,’ he said. 

‘At the end of the day it’s a public service for public use. The State should be providing that type of service, regardless if it’s making a loss or not.’

His comments came as Irish Rail confirmed its €90m second track to Midleton was nearing completion.

The West Cork rail network permanently closed on March 31st, 1961, with government citing operating deficits, rising road competition, and falling passenger numbers.

Groups gathered 37,000 signatures in protest but tracks and equipment were rapidly pulled up, with some parts sold and shipped to Nigeria.

In a wide-ranging interview Sen O’Donovan also spoke against using Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to buy land for greenways and called for a law change to tackle gender-based and sexual violence.