Vol. 493 No. 4
83 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise when it is expected that work will commence on the upgrading of the Carrick-on-Shannon to Sligo railway line; the total cost of the upgrading of the line; the amount to be allocated from the Exchequer; and if the line is considered acceptable from a safety standpoint. [16573/98]
I should explain that the board of Córas Iompair Éireann has a statutory responsibility under the Transport Act, 1958, in relation to the safe operation of its services. I have been assured by CIE on a number of occasions that there is no question of services being allowed to operate in situations where the safety of the public or railway staff would be compromised.
84 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will provide details of the EU economic barrier to funding of works on the Mullingar to Sligo railway line; when the economic barrier was imposed by the EU; and when and where she negotiated the removal of the barrier. [16574/98]
Before it approved assistance in respect of the mainline rail investment programme in July 1996, the EU Commission retained independent consultants to undertake a socio-economic evaluation of the proposals. In the case of the Dublin-Sligo line, the consultants recommended that EU co-financed investment in track renewal work be concentrated on the Dublin to Mullingar section. The EU Commission subsequently approved assistance in line with that recommendation.
When the question of a reallocation of the EU assistance de-committed from the Luas project arose, my Department submitted a list of alternative projects to the Commission for consideration. This included the upgrading of trackwork on the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon and Carrick-on-Shannon to Sligo sections. The package subsequently agreed included the renewal works on the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon section. As I indicated in my statement following last week's reallocation decisions, renewal work on the remaining section of the line will be submitted for EU funding in the next round of aid post 1999.
85 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total cost of the proposed upgrading works on the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon railway line; the amount of EU Structural Funds and the amount of Exchequer funds allocated for the upgrading; and when the upgrading work on the line will be completed. [16575/98]
EU Structural Fund assistance of £12 million has been allocated in respect of a £26 million package of track upgrading works on the Mullingar-Carrick on Shannon, Mallow-Killarney and Cherryville-Kilkenny lines. Matching Exchequer financing in respect of this package will be provided through the normal Estimates process. The total cost of the proposed upgrading works on the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon rail line is £14 million and they will be completed by the end of 2000.
