The promoters of a proposed commuter rail service for Co Sligo say they will make its development a general election issue.
A business plan is to be drawn up by the south Sligo Rapid Transport group towards providing the service. Details of the project's feasibility study were outlined earlier this week.
The group estimates it would cost in the region of £5 million to provide a daily commuter service between Ballymote and Sligo town, with stops at Collooney, Ballisodare, Carraroe and the town's Finisklin industrial estate.
The study was carried out by the London-based Halcrow Rail company.
They have reported it is feasible to introduce a half-hourly commuter service between Sligo and Ballymote at peak periods.
"It's a united front," says the transport group's chairman, Mr Tim Mulcahy. "The people, the elected representatives and funding agencies have all expressed positive interest."
The two local authorities in Co Sligo, the Sligo County Enterprise Board and the Western Development Commission, contributed to the cost of producing the study. Mr Mulcahy says the group is not deterred by the money it would take to produce such a service.
"This is something that is environmentally safe, that has sustainability, something that is going to last well into the future."
At the launch, the chief executive of the Western Development Commission, Mr Liam Scollan, launched a broadside against Government Department officials.
"If this is really going to happen, it needs people at senior level in the Departments of Public Enterprise and Environment, none of whom were at this launch, to engage into the concept," he said.
"There needs to be greater engagement from the key Departments, at very senior level, in order to make this happen."
Mr Mulcahy says there is not much point in having £60 million-worth of track between Sligo and Dublin lying idle in the Co Sligo section for 23 hours a day.
"I make no bones about the fact that next year is a general election year....If people are aware of this project and it's on their shopping list, I think it's only natural that politicians will pay very close attention to it."