Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Feb 1991

Vol. 404 No. 9

Written Answers. - Railway System Support.

Joe Sherlock

Question:

246 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the amount of State financial support being given to the railway system as a proportion of our GNP; and the way in which this compares with other EC countries, from the latest figures available.

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

Exchequer support for the railway system in the State in 1990 amounted to £88 million approximately which was the equivalent of 0.39 per cent of GNP.

Comparisons with other countries are normally made on the basis of subvention for public transport as a percentage of GDP rather than GNP. The latest comparisons available relate to 1987. In that year Exchequer support for Irish railways amounted to 0.48 per cent of GDP, which was the seventh highest level of support for public transport in the Community on a GDP basis, the highest being Luxembourg and Italy at 3.1 per cent and 1.18 per cent respectively and the lowest being Portugal and the United Kingdom at 0.32 per cent and 0.17 per cent respectively.