Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says that Donegal needs a rail connection south.
A rail connection linking Dublin and Letterkenny has been included in the new all-island rail review, according to the Irish Times.
The Minister is to consider a proposal for a route from the Dublin-Belfast line at Portadown to run to Letterkenny and Derry.
The restoration of a connection to Donegal has been described as a game-changer for the region and its development.
Donegal’s rail network closed on the last day of 1959.
The all-island rail review is due to be published later this month.