Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Mar 2000

Vol. 517 No. 1

Written Answers. - Rail Services.

Austin Deasy

Question:

84 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will provide the necessary resources for Córas Iompair Éireann, so that it can purchase additional rolling stock to provide a non-stop rail service from Waterford to Dublin on a daily basis in view of the fact that the road journey between Waterford and Dublin has become intolerable. [9174/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The national development plan, launched last November, sets out the proposals for investment in public transport for the period 2000-06. The plan provides £500 million for the mainline rail renewal and upgrading programme and £65 million of this amount has been allocated to the purchase of additional rolling stock. The allocation of the rolling stock to individual lines and the types of services to be provided on those lines are operational matters for Iarnród Éireann.

Up to the end of 1999 the Dublin-Waterford line has benefited from the substantial investment of £10.7 million under the EU Operational Programme for Transport, 1994-99. This investment has been supported by the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds. A further £2 million will be spent in 2000. The work involved the replacement of life expired jointed tracks on timber sleepers with continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers.

The programme of rolling stock acquisition for mainline rail under the Operational Programme for Transport, 1994-99 has been completed and the rolling stock was brought into operation in the period 1995-97. This included two loco motives for the Dublin to Waterford route which were co-financed by the EU Structural Fund.

I have no function in relation to the details of railway investment other than the EU funded programme. The non-co-financed programme, and its implementation, is a matter solely for CIE and Iarnród Éireann.