With the permission of an Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 24 and 25 together. The apportionment of income and expenditure to particular sections of the railway network is a highly technical and difficult problem. The Oireachtas has delegated to CIE under Section 19 of the Transport Act, 1958, sole responsibility for determining whether particular railway services are economic and has vested in the Board full discretion and sole authority to discontinue services they deem to be uneconomic and likely to remain so. With a view to determining as accurately as possible the precise economic position of the various sectors and lines in the Board's rail system, the Board, with the assistance of a firm of industrial consultants, undertook during the past year an extensive study of the entire rail system. That study confirmed that the revenue earned on a number of lines was less than the direct cost of operating services over them apart from overheads and other expenditure not readily allocatable.
As regards the branch lines referred to by the Deputy, I understand that the Board have furnished to the local bodies figures showing the revenue and expenditure for the year ended 31st March, 1961 in respect of the various lines in Counties Cork and Waterford which the bodies in question requested from the Board and that the Board have invited the bodies concerned to send a deputation to discuss the matter further. I also understand that one of the bodies in question has agreed to send a deputation to the Board for this purpose.
The information sought by the local interests would not enable them to add anything to the very comprehensive study already carried out by CIE and their consultants.
As the statutory responsibility for determining whether any particular branch is economic or not rests solely on CIE, who have gone to considerable trouble to secure an objective assessment of the position for each line, I would suggest that the most appropriate way for the local bodies concerned to pursue this matter would be by discussion with the Board.