Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:134 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport if there is to be a cutback in the funding proposed for investment in the railway system; and the position in this regard. [7143/03]
Other Questions. - Rail Network.
The Government is committed to the development of the rail network as part of an overall strategy to support and maintain sustainable economic development. Capital investment in the rail network has been increasing year on year in recent years. This continuing commitment is reflected in the provision of approximately €330 million in the current year in Exchequer and EU funds, an increase of 15% on 2002. Agreement has also been reached with the Minister for Finance to maintain current levels of Exchequer capital funding in public transport under the national development plan. This will result in investment of over €1 billion in the rail network over the next four years, and no cutback in funding is envisaged.
Has a study been done by Iarnród Éireann on the possibility of reopening the line from Clonsilla to Navan, via Dunboyne? Has the Minister received an estimate of the cost of this from Iarnród Éireann and do the figures quoted allow for the commencement of works of this kind within the planning period?
I asked the consultants who drew up the strategic rail review to have a particular look at that line, as well as roughly half a dozen other proposed new lines, and the results of their work can be seen shortly when I publish the review. It is no secret that the review will indicate that there are greater priorities, such as inter-city lines between Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and so on. The review envisages prioritising these networks before proceeding to examine whether lines such as the one referred to by the Deputy are viable. The jury is out on the project. I do not have details and statistics on particular lines, but I will certainly obtain those on behalf of the Deputy. However, the project is unlikely to commence in the short-term.
When the viability of potential lines is being assessed, are calculations based on existing populations along those lines or on the populations of those areas that are envisaged in the Government's spatial plan? Is the Minister aware that the population of Navan is projected to treble in the near term? Will he assure me that, in deciding that the line to Navan is not a priority but a posteriority, the guidelines in regard to population have been properly taken into account by the consultants? If they have not, will the Minister send the report back to the consultants and ask them to re-do their work?
I instructed the consultants to take into account the population figures mentioned in the national spatial strategy before finalising their report. They are aware that Navan is growing rapidly. I intend to continue to examine about six lines that are in a similar category, for example by assessing the finances that are available to fund them. A conclusion on the lines will be reached in the not too distant future. I am not prepared to take them off the agenda, but it is unlikely that they will be proceeded with at an early stage.
The information the Minister has given the House will be greeted with extreme disappointment in County Meath.
The national spatial strategy was published after the strategic review the Minister mentioned in his reply to Deputy Bruton. Will the Minister outline the position on to the proposal to run a commuter service between Galway and Athlone, which is a gateway under the spatial strategy? Places like Athlone are as entitled to investment as anywhere else, if the strategy is to mean anything. Where does the project stand?
The Deputy is aware there is a railway track between Athlone and Galway and that services on that line are quite busy.
That is correct.
Additional track would be needed, however, to turn it into a commuter line. It has been suggested that the commuter line should run as far as Ballinasloe or Oranmore, but that it should not go beyond that. I asked the consultants to examine these issues, as I am interested in investing in commuter lines about an hour outside all our cities.
It would make great sense.
Such connections, which were mentioned by Deputy Bruton, will be considered. The Government's priority has to be to invest in inter-city railway lines so that train journeys to cities like Galway, Cork and Limerick are faster than car journeys.
If that is its priority, why is the Government spending so much on motorways?
Part of the Government's priority is to develop commuter lines about an hour outside the cities, so that people can travel quickly to and from areas where there are more reasonable land and housing costs.
Is the Minister aware that the county development plan in County Cork is entirely dependent on the development of a railway link in east Cork? The plan was drawn up with rail services in mind. Can the Minister provide any new information about the east Cork line? His predecessor was quite anxious that the county development plan be put in place so that the rail link would follow. The plan is in place, but there may be chaos and the plan may collapse if the railway services I have mentioned are not developed.
I am aware of plans to develop rail links to east Cork, an area that has seen substantial growth, and I broadly support such a development. Perhaps we can have a fuller debate about the three lines mentioned by Deputies John Bruton, Connaughton and Stanton when the strategic rail review is published. The opinions in the review on the three lines are not entirely negative.
Negative enough, I am told.