Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 July 2016
85. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to establish a rail link between County Donegal and neighbouring rail networks which operate in counties in Northern Ireland and here; and if he has considered the possible economic benefit which such a project would accrue for both the north-west region and the all-island economy as a whole. [22171/16]
View answerThe current position regarding the funding of the railways in Ireland is that the bulk of funding is provided to Iarnród Éireann for the maintenance and renewal of the heavy rail network. Analysis has shown that the Exchequer contribution for the heavy rail network per annum is considerably below the amount required to maintain the existing network.
In an environment where funding remains constrained, it is not possible to make exchequer funding available to open new rail links in the North West, or anywhere else on the network and no such funding has been provided in the Capital Plan.
