Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 1990

Vol. 399 No. 10

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin-Belfast Rail Line.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

5 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the up-to-date position regarding proposals for the upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast rail line; if an application has been lodged for EC funding for the line; the date on which the application was lodged; when it is expected that the EC will respond; if his attention has been drawn to recent reports (details supplied) suggesting that EC funding could be jeopardised by delays on the part of the Government in finalising their attitude; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

10 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the reason he has not made an application, during the Irish Presidency of the EC, for EC funds to upgrade the Dublin-Belfast rail line in conjunction with the application made by the Northern Ireland Transport Minister.

Michael Ferris

Question:

35 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will make a statement on the reason no EC funding has been sought for the upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast railway line.

Toddy O'Sullivan

Question:

41 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if his attention has been drawn to the report Modern Railways, December 1989, which lists the investment options suggested by the joint Iarnród Éireann/Northern Ireland Rail study of the Dublin-Belfast railway line and which claims a minimum net benefit of £2.8 million at 1988 prices, for the preferred option.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

56 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will make a statement on the reason no investment project for the Dublin-Belfast railway line was included in the National Development Plan 1989-1993 or the Community Support Framework 1989-1993, having regard to the inclusion of a major scheme of improvements for the route in the transportation programme for Northern Ireland developed by the Northern Ireland authorities.

Minister for Tourism and Transport (Mr. S. Brennan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 10, 35, 41 and 56 together.

I reject any suggestions that there has been a delay on the Government's part in relation to this matter. The Government and I are committed to upgrading this line provided, of course, EC funding can be made available in such a way as not to render urgently needed domestic projects impossible. The Dublin-Belfast rail project has for some time now been one of the transport proposals under discussion with the EC Commission. The board of CIE advised me that they had decided that the upgrading of the line is desirable and that they would support the necessary investment provided that an adequate level of grant aid would be available.

The inclusion of the Dublin-Belfast project in our operational programme for roads and other transport infrastructure must depend on the level of EC grant assistance which can be secured under that programme and the competing claims of other public transport projects on the available resources, particularly the proposed rail link from Clondalkin to the city.

The community initiatives programme, supplementing the Structural Funds, is a further possible source, however, of EC grant assistance for the Dublin-Belfast project. Moreover, as recently as 5 June, I again raised with the EC Transport Commissioner the possibility of assistance for the Dublin-Belfast project from the proposed special EC transport infrastructre fund, the establishment of which may be agreed by the Council of Ministers shortly.

I assure Deputies that I will continue to explore all options for EC assistance for this project, subject to the constraints of competing priority projects in the public transport field.

Mr. Byrne

Will the Minister agree that he has been prevaricating on this issue for over 12 months? The Community of European Railways have recognised the importance of this line and that it is part of a major European rail and sea route linking Belfast, Dublin and Cork with Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Basle. The importance of this line has also been recognised by the Northern Ireland Railways who have made submissions to Europe to upgrade it. Therefore, will the Minister agree that the only thing holding up the upgrading of the line is his prevarication? Will he also agree that, if he does not support Northern Ireland Railways in the upgrading of the line, it is destined for ultimate closure?

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sure that the Deputy is aware we are dealing with questions nominated for priority to which only 15 minutes apply. If I am to dispose of the five questions involved brevity is very important.

Mr. Byrne

I will be brief. Is the Minister conscious of the fact that the railway will ultimately be closed if it is not upgraded and that all that is required by way of capital funds from the State is a miserable £15 million in investment?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy has made his point.

Mr. S. Brennan

We must keep this matter in perspective. Of course Northern Ireland Railways are keen to go ahead with upgrading the line; so are CIE. However, the difference is that the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment are prepared to make a substantial investment in the line. I have to see whether I can match that. I want to clearly state that the Government and I are committed to an upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast line. At present the journey takes about one hour and 55 minutes and the expenditure of £60 million would cut 20 minutes off the journey. If I go ahead with this I would probably have to abandon one or two domestic projects and find £20 million of taxpayers' money to cut 20 minutes off the journey. I totally reject any question of a closure of the line and as soon as I can encourage the European Communtiy to allocate funds to this project I will certainly go ahead with its upgrading.

An Ceann Comhairle

A brief and final question from Deputy Byrne.

Mr. Byrne

Is the Minister aware that Northern Ireland Railways have decided to downgrade to a single line the section between Portadown and the Border unless he is forthcoming with funds? Hundreds of millions of pounds have been made available for building roads — a sum of £212 million has been allotted under the National Development Plan — and a miserable £36 million have been provided for public transport. Does the Minister expect the public to believe that he cannot get sufficient funds through the European Community to upgrade the railway? We are only talking about between £10 million and £15 million and when that is balanced against the road building programme it is a disgrace——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is entering the realm of argument.

Mr. S. Brennan

I repeat that there is no question of the line being closed or no threat from the Northern Ireland authorities to do so. I will give the Deputy the figures. I have £95 million available to me for public transport under Structural Funds; of that £15 million has been agreed with Brussels for bus and rail transportation which I will have to match with another £15 million to £20 million of Government moneys. The Deputy can see that projects which are urgently needed, like Clondalkin and Tallaght, could not go ahead if I spent the money upgrading the other line. It is my job, therefore, to prioritise these matters and I am of the view that I should go ahead with the Clondalkin and Tallaght projects — or other urgent projects — while remaining committed to the Belfast line, and I shall try to get other funding for it. Last week I had discussions with the EC Commissioner, in which I formally asked him to assist the Dublin-Belfast project by upgrading the line under a new fund which may be established, the transport infrastructure fund. I am committed to this line but I must get my priorities in order.