Decisions on the upgrading of individual railway lines are matters for the board and management of CIE and Iarnród Éireann. I have no statutory function in the matter. The Exchequer provides substantial financial support to CIE and to the railway in particular. The 1997 Exchequer subvention for CIE is £105 million, an increase of £5 million on the 1996 figure. Approximately £90 million will be allocated this year towards the cost of maintaining rail infrastructure and supporting rail services which are not fully commercially viable. Apart from the substantial support for the rail network provided through the Exchequer subvention to CIE, there are no other funds available to me for rail investment.
The Deputy will be aware there is an ongoing programme of mainline rail investment which is supported by EU funds and CIE resources, including the Exchequer subvention. Proposals for EU assisted investment must in each case be accompanied by rigorous investment appraisal and cost-benefit evaluation. Investments from CIE resources must meet the investment appraisal criteria laid down by the Department of Finance, as well as CIE internal evaluation criteria.
The current mainline rail investment programme which is supported by EU funds and CIE resources, is included in the Community Support Framework 1995-99 which was largely shaped when the Deputy's party was last in Government. I have already publicly complemented my predecessor, Deputy Cowen, on his involvement in that.
Even under the extensive investment programme now under way, there is a limit to the resources available for rail investment. It is therefore necessary to prioritise investment projects on the basis of demand levels and expected economic return. It will not always be possible to upgrade every railway line to the standard of the main inter-city routes, still less to reopen sections of line which have been closed for many years. Having said that, there are no proposals for closure of any railway lines.