Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018
496. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of times that a cost-benefit analysis was carried out on behalf of his Department on the re-opening of the railway line from Athenry to Ennis in view of the fact that this facilitates services from Galway to Limerick and beyond; the results of the cost-benefit analysis each time; if these are available publicly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11525/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra497. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of re-opening the Ennis to Athenry section of railway line excluding work carried out on the Athenry to Galway section of the line including Oranmore station that also services the Dublin to Galway services and on the Ennis to Limerick section including the station at Sixmilebridge; the original estimates for the cost of this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11526/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 496 and 497 together.
As the Deputy is aware, in 2006 the then Government approved capital funding for Phase 1 of the Western Rail corridor between Ennis and Athenry that opened in 2010 at a capital cost of €106.5m. This investment followed the Government approved Business Case prepared by Iarnród Éireann who conducted an economic cost-benefit analysis of the project. This analysis took into account the economic benefits of the project arising from the time savings, safety and environmental cost savings and that also considered the challenge to capture travel demand from the private car onto the railway in the context of improvements planned to the road network and competition from the bus sector which would benefit from these improvements (that have now been delivered).
The cost benefit analysis prepared by Irish Rail and submitted to Government indicated a negative Net Present Value (NPV) of minus €137 million over 30 years and with a CBA ratio of 1:0.056, the value of the benefits was estimated to just 6% (or, roughly, one-twentieth) of the value of the costs. Subvention was estimated at €24 per passenger per journey in year 1 (based on approximately 100,000 new rail passengers in year 1) and falling to half of this (on the basis that patronage was projected to double over the first five years of operation).
In light of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in the issues raised by the Deputy, I am referring his question to IÉ for further information. Please advise my private office if the Deputy does not receive a response within ten working days.
I would like to advise the Deputy that officials in my department are considering how best to progress the published NDP commitment in relation to an independent costing of Phase 2 of the Western Rail Corridor.
