Originally Posted by EI-A330-300
Basically Belfast-Rosslare would be connected.
They already are by rail, expect that Irish Rail have decided to not use the Phoenix Park Tunnel for passenger services. Having spoken once or twice with a former senior manager in Iarnród Éireann, they do everything they can to down play the usefulness of the tunnel as an infrastructure link in support of larger scale and "sexier" projects. There's no good reason why both options couldn't have lived side by side providing links now and more capacity later.
IMHO, just like their semi-state brethren in the DAA, the CIÉ group of company managers (Dublin Bus, Irish Rail & Bus Éireann) all show a stunning lack of imagination with regard to maximising the national economic & social infrastructure they're entrusted with.
JAS