A disused section of a rail line which linked Waterford and north Cork may soon be reopened as a tourist attraction.
Sections of the railway stretching from Kilmacthomas to Dungarvan, Co Waterford, are to be developed as a walkway and cycle path.
Waterford County Council has agreed terms with CIÉ to acquire the railway line, but the formal transfer of land has yet to take place - which has angered councillor Mr Billy Kyne (Labour).
"The reality is CIÉ are holding this up and it will never be done unless someone somewhere gets them to deliver on their promise. They are placing adverts on television saying they are getting places but in this case nothing is being done. You need to put a rocket under them."
The county secretary, Mr Martin Walsh, confirmed at the weekend that the council was seeking to purchase a 25-mile stretch of disused railway between Dungarvan and the boundary with Waterford city for an estimated €250,000. The track was previously part of the route between Waterford, Dungarvan and Mallow.
A section of the route has already been leased to the Suir Valley Railway, a voluntary group which has laid track to run tourist trains out of Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, through the famous Mount Congreve gardens.
While CIÉ is having difficulty providing documentation to prove its ownership of the land, there is consent; and the council spokeswoman said it was awaiting a formal transfer having reached verbal agreement.
Derelict since the early 1970s, the track and sleepers have been removed leaving the council with a flat bed to develop. According to Mr Walsh, the council has "broad plans" to develop the route as a tourist amenity.
"We are planning a walking route fairly immediately from Dungarvan to Stradbally and we will take it in stages from there. There are many features and the Kilmacthomas viaduct is particularly spectacular. People can stop off there and enjoy wonderful scenery."
The Waterford-Dungarvan-Mallow railway line was closed in 1961 as part of a major programme of line closures.
In a family twist, Mr Kyne's father, Thomas, who was elected a TD for Waterford in 1948, made representations to parliamentary secretary Patrick J. Lalor in the Dáil in June 1968 to have the line reopened to take passengers and freight between Dungarvan and Waterford.
At the time, the railway had reopened from Waterford city to a point less than two miles from Dungarvan to facilitate the transfer of dolomite and magnesite to and from a factory in Ballinacourty, Co Waterford.
Mr Kyne said he was keen that CIÉ expedite the transfer of the relevant land to bring positive socio-economic and environmental benefits to the area.
"County Waterford is already popular with walkers and cyclists because of its scenery and landscapes such as the Comeragh Mountains. This project would help to increase the number of people visiting the area, boosting our tourism."