Following disappointments and setbacks the East Derry SDLP Assembly Member john Dallat has expressed hope that a new dawn will emerge on the future of the Derry-Belfast Railway providing a long term to solution to the stop start programme of renewal.

The renewed spark of confidence follows a presentation by the Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy to the Regional Development Committee at Stormont on Wednesday.

He said: "The Minister gave a very positive report on his recent visit to Strasbourg where he engaged with the European Parliament and Commission on the Trans European Network (TEN-T) and Connecting European Facility (CEF) regulations.

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"I was particularly impressed with the Minister’s support for the need to make Derry a core part of the transport network which hopefully could open new doors to European funding to achieve new standards in rail transport.

"If successful this means that the North West becomes part of an European plan for transport which the current proposals do not provide for. This can only be good news and a new opportunity to work with the Irish government to develop trans-European Networks which can only be in the economic interests of Ireland as a whole.

"Mr Kennedy has demonstrated a commitment to future of the Derry-Belfast railway by finding the funding to upgrade the Coleraine-Derry section of it beginning in July and finishing in March of next year. This announcement can only add hope to the belief that a new dawn is emerging and that will be welcomed by everyone."

(CD/GK)