Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 4

Written Answers. - Rail Network.

Deirdre Clune

Question:

42 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the decision by Iarnród Éireann to cut back on rail upgrading on the Claremorris to Westport line, the Tralee line and the Sligo line; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18111/01]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The Exchequer provision for railway safety in 2001 is £102 million. This is in line with the expenditure profile in the Railway Safety Programme 1999 to 2003, which was approved by the Government in March 1999. Iarnród Éireann advised my Department on 7 June that it had reviewed its railway safety expenditure priorities in the light of available funding and that it had decided to renew a total of 75 miles of track in 2001, in line with the overall target for this year set out in the safety programme. This would mean that by end 2001 a total of 247 miles would be renewed, compared with a programme target of 242.

Subject to available resources and relative priorities, Iarnród Éireann had tentatively planned to exceed the programme target of 75 miles in 2001 by an additional 12 miles. The return to the original programme target of 75 miles affected an additional 4.5 miles of track renewal on the Westport line and one mile on the Sligo line. No additional mileage was planned on the Tralee line. It is my view that Iarnród Éireann should implement the full track renewal programme for this year and I have asked my officials to convey this view to the company. I have also asked my Department to carry out an early review of the scope for the possible provision of some additional funding for railway safety in 2001.