During the course of the meeting of the EC Council of Transport Ministers held on 17 December 1990, the Commission presented an outline plan prepared by a high level working group on the development of a European high speed rail network. At the meeting I supported the Council's decision to approve the outline plan on the basis that peripheral member states like Ireland should be given special treatment in the field of transport infrastructure and that the resolution of access transport problems is vital in the context of the Single European Market. In Ireland's case, our geographical position and distance from Community markets impose significant competitive disadvantages on our economy vis-á-vis other member states.
The outline plan approved by the Council is of particular importance to Ireland and addresses the possibility of the upgrading of the Cork/Dublin/Belfast rail line to cater for speeds of the order of 160km/h. In addition, the Holyhead/Crewe rail line is one of the vital links in the transport chain between Ireland and the rest of the Community and, at our request, the question of improvement in the line is to be the subject of a special study by a working group.
With regard to Iarnród Éireann transtrack business, I have been informed by the chairman that the company are in the process of reorganising their transtrack groupage business and that freight services will be terminated at some smaller depots where volumes are uncommercial at present. The question of reducing staff numbers associated with this reorganisation is a matter for Iarnród Éireann as part of the company's ongoing attempts to achieve improved competitiveness and financial performance of the rail freight business. It is understood that discussions with relevant trade unions concerning the new arrangements are underway at present.
The transtrack reorganisation has no bearing on the EC high speed railway proposals.
