Vol. 577 No. 4
246 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the date on which he sought Government approval to reconvene the railway safety task force; the date on which it was re-established; when it will make and publish its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31511/03]
With the agreement of the Minister for Finance, I re-established the railway safety task force in December 2002. The National Development Plan, paragraph 4.40, committed the Government to reconstituting the task force before the end of the current safety programme. Specific Government approval was not, therefore, necessary. The first meeting of the task force took place on 11 March 2003.
The work of the task force is nearing completion and I expect to receive its proposals for a railway safety programme for 2004 to 2008 early in 2004. I will bring this programme to Government for approval. The programme will be published following that approval.
