Vol. 408 No. 4
12 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if any application has been made to the EC under the peripherality operational programme for funding towards the upgrading of the Belfast-Dublin rail line; whether the study he commissioned jointly with the Northern Ireland authority into the benefits of upgrading this line has been completed; if so, if it will be published, and when.
20 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will outline the latest position regarding proposals to upgrade the Dublin-Belfast railway line; if any further progress has been made in regard to EC funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
27 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the reason Ireland did not ask for assistance from the EC for its rail network in view of the fact that Spain, Greece, Portugal and Northern Ireland did apply for assistance from funds.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 20 and 27 together.
Ireland has sought and secured EC financial assistance for the development of its national rail network from both the European Regional Development Fund and the Transport Infrastructure Fund. The rail network will receive the bulk of the European Regional Development Fund funding allocated to public transport in the Operational Programme on Peripherality. The total amount of such aid in the period 1991 to 1993 will be about £18 million. Listed projects include the extension of the existing rail freight link within Dublin Port, and the provision of new rail freight gantries at Cork, Dundalk, Limerick and Sligo. In addition, funding has been set aside to provide a commuter rail link between Clondalkin and the city centre. However, the availability of EC aid for the Clondalkin project has been made conditional on the outcome of a socio-economic cost benefit analysis of the proposed investment. This analysis is under way at present.
As I have indicated in previous replies, the Operational Programme on Peripherality provides for a detailed study of the costs and benefits of the proposed upgrading of the Dublin-Belfast rail link to be carried out jointly by my Department and the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment and the European Commission. The purpose of this three-way study is to complete a full assessment of the project's potential contribution to the improvement of passenger and freight services within the island as a whole, with the possibilities for EC assistance for the project being examined in the light of the outcome of the study. In that regard, and as a result of my efforts at meetings of the EC Committee of Transport Ministers, I have been able to secure a commitment for setting aside financial assistance for the improvement of the Dublin-Belfast link under the EC's newly established Transport Infrastructure Fund. Consultants have been engaged to carry out an assessment of the Dublin-Belfast line and it is expected that their report will be submitted shortly.
The Dublin-Belfast line has also been discussed at meetings of the Anglo-Irish Conference where it was agreed that the possibility of securing EC aid for the project would be pursued.
Is the Minister aware that under the EC peripherality programme less than 5p in every £1 is being spent on railways? Is he further aware that Northern Ireland railways are prepared to spend their share of the cost of upgrading the line and that there is a sense of outrage in Northern Ireland at the neglectful way this Government have not given a commitment to fund this vital cross-Border link? Will he now give a commitment that the Government will fund this route when the report is completed?
I did not have that 5p in the £1 figure and I thank the Deputy for that bit of research. Secondly, I am not aware of outrage in Northern Ireland. The Government are fully committed, subject to this three-way study between the Commission, the Northern Ireland Department and my own Department, to the upgrading of the Belfast-Dublin line. We are talking about a £70 million project and we are proceeding here in a logical way to have it studied by the three of us including, I would emphasise, the Commission, to see whether we can arrange to have it funded with EC support. I have pointed out in my reply that the transport infrastructure fund would be my main target for EC funding and I am confident we can make substantial progress there.
Do I take it from what the Minister has said that in the 1992 Public Capital Programme there will be Exchequer support for the minimum £40 million which is necessary on the Republic side for this route? Can the Minister now give a commitment to the House that the work on this project will commence next year?
I will move as fast as I possibly can on this project. I stress that the Government are committed to upgrading the Belfast/Dublin rail line.
In what year?
I have indicated that some funds are earmarked. As soon as that study is complete — which should be within a matter of months — I should be able to advance my negotiations with the transport infrastructure fund in Brussels and finalise funding for the line. I will move with all speed on the matter.
Let us proceed now to other questions, Question No. 13.
