idea of a greenway on any parts of the route, which may become surplus if a railway order process was undertaken, was suggested by Minister Eamon O'Cuiv at a West on Track conference in May 2009 in response to lobbying for this idea from Enniscrone resident Brendan Quinn and his colleague John Mulligan. Report on transport budget underspend in the West of Ireland A mid-term evaluation of the Irish government's National Development Plan by the economic consultant company INDECON, is cited by some parties as a reason to build the Western Rail Corridor. The report stated that only half the forecast NDP transport investment in the BMW region for the period 2000–2006 was spent or committed to be spent by 2002, a shortfall of €364 million. As Transport projects have long lead times this report indicated that the relative shortfall in transport expenditure would be maintained over the course of the planning period to 2006. Frank Dawson detailed statistics breaking out the INDECON data, who is now the Roscommon County Manager. Reliability of the McCann Expert Working Group report Lobbyists for the project point to the recommendations of this report commissioned by the minister for transport as evidence that the project is justified. The report stated that if the case for Mayo rail freight could be proven, it would add to the case for rebuilding Athenry-Claremorris as one section. Frank McDonald, in an article in the Irish Times based on information released under the Freedom of Information Act, indicated that the report was rewritten to exclude any negative assessment of the viability of the project including a forecast that it would 'attract only 750 passengers per day and could require an annual subvention of up to €10 million'. Passenger numbers for the first section of the line between Ennis-Limerick were reported at a mere 600 a day in March 2008. Criticisms of the McCann Report have included the reliance on anecdotal testimony regarding freight demand and the absence of costings for rolling stock and operating expenses. A cost-benefit analysis report prepared by Goodbody Economic Consultants for the Department of Transport in 2006 stated that passenger numbers on the soon to be opened Ennis-Athenry section of the WRC would be in the order of 200,000, requiring an annual subvention of €2.4m, with a negative Net Present Value of -€137m. The report concluded that even a doubling of patronage would not make