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Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Questions (1452)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1452. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of capacity issues and/or deficiencies in service delivery identified by Irish Rail in 2016 and 2017; his plans to rectify the situation as outlined by Irish Rail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1725/18]

View answer

Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.

Iarnród Éireann operates its services under a Public Service Obligation (PSO) arrangement with the National Transport Authority and receives funding from the NTA in respect of this PSO.  The arrangements and the funding are governed by a Public Transport Contract between the NTA and the company.  The contract sets strict standards of operational performance and customer service and contains penalties for non-performance.  The NTA monitors the contracted performance of Iarnród Éireann on a quarterly basis.  In light of this, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply as regards the matter of any capacity issues or deficiencies in service identified.  Please advise my private office if the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days.

More generally, the Deputy will be aware of a report, known as the Rail Review, published by the NTA in 2016, which is a comprehensive analysis of issues facing the rail network, including the levels of funding required to support its maintenance and development.

Over 300 submissions were received by the NTA in response to a public consultation process about the Review, and following its examination of these, the NTA submitted a report of those submissions.  When I have reviewed the NTA's report on the consultation process, and when the NTA has updated it to reflect the considerably increased funding that has since been made available for both current PSO subvention and, in particular, the Capital Plan 2018 to 2021, I intend to bring the NTA's document to Government for consideration and would expect that it would be published shortly thereafter by the NTA.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Order 42A.
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