Vol. 468 No. 1
224 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the plans, if any, Ireland has, in line with developments in the EU, to separate the management of rail infrastructure from the operation of services; the cost of investment in and maintenance of rail infrastructure in the latest year for which accounts are available; and the proportion of the cost of maintenance relative to the subvention for rail. [14611/96]
Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community's railways requires, inter alia, that the accounts for business relating to the management of railway infrastructure be kept separate from those for business relating to the operation of train services.
Ireland complies fully with this requirement in so far as the cost of investing in and maintaining the railway infrastructure has been itemised separately in Iarnród Éireann's annual report and financial statements since 1993. I have no proposals for the institutional separation of the infrastructure and rail services functions within Iarnród Éireann, which is operational under the directive. However, I am advised that a separate infrastructure division is currently being established within the company which will have responsibility for the maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure.
