Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Feb 2001

Vol. 530 No. 6

Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.

John Moloney

Ceist:

133 Mr. Moloney asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total funding allocated each year from 1995 to 2001 by her Department for Counties Laois and Offaly; and the major developments that began or major service improvements that were funded as a result of an increase in funding in each of these years. [4449/01]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to funding allocated to Counties Laois and Offaly is as follows. Construction of the new 120MW peat fired station at Clonbullogue, near Edenderry, County Offaly, commenced in January 1999. This new station came into commercial operation in December 2000, six months ahead of schedule. The new station was developed by the Finnish company, IVO, at an estimated cost of approximately £100 million. The station is in receipt of an EU grant of £21 million of which £16 million has been drawn down in the years 1999 to date. The balance of the cost is funded by the developer.

A project to develop wetland, wildlife and to research the related ecological process commenced in 1995. Total funding of £708,694 was provided under the energy subprogramme of the operational programme on economic infrastructure.

A sum of £77,000 was spent in Laois and £107,000 was spent in Offaly on energy efficiency measures between 1995 and 2001. Funding was administered by the Irish Energy Centre on behalf of the Department under the energy audit grant scheme – EAGS – and the energy efficiency investment support scheme – EEISS – of the economic infrastructure operational Programme. The EAGS encouraged industry and the commercial sector to identify energy saving opportunities through carrying out audits of their energy usage. The EEISS provided grant assistance to industry and the commercial sector for investment in proven energy efficient technology and systems. Both schemes were co-funded by the European regional development fund.

There have been many benefits from investment in public transport, particularly on rail services and cross county boundaries. It is not possible to associate investment with individual counties. However, I understand Bus Éireann has made a number of improvements to bus services in the Laois-Offaly area. It introduced an hourly service between Dublin and Limerick in May 1999 and a two hourly service between Dublin and Cork in July 2000. These services transit through Laois and Offaly. Arising from increased customer demand in the Portlaoise area, an additional auxiliary service was introduced on the Mountmellick route in September 2000 and in January 2001 the service was extended to Mountrath to provide a morning commuter service to Dublin. Returning passengers can avail of the Dublin-Limerick hourly service. Under the national development plan, Bus Éireann service frequency on the Dublin-Edenderry route has been increased substantially from six to 20 services on weekdays. Service frequency ranges from hourly to half hourly at peak times from Dublin while services from Edenderry operate to an hourly frequency increasing to 15 minutes in the very early morning peak.

There has also been substantial investment in the mainline rail network. Between 1994 and 2000, in excess of £150 million has been invested in upgrading mainline rail. This covered the acquisition of additional mainline rail rolling stock and track renewal. In addition, £175 million has been invested to date in the rail safety programme since 1999.