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Rail Services Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019

Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Ceisteanna (56, 465, 466)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

56. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which it is proposed to increase the capacity of the commuter rail service in the north County Kildare commuter belt, with particular reference to the rail stations at Sallins, Celbridge, Confey, Leixlip, Maynooth and Kilcock, having particular regard to the need to ensure the availability of extra carriages in order to eliminate the prospect of passengers standing with consequent health and safety issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15120/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

465. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent of proposed augmentation and investment in rail services over the next five years, with particular reference to the extent that services can be tailored to meet the ongoing travel requirements of commuters such as identifying the way in which rail services in general can meet the demands of middle-distance commuters from towns and villages outside the greater Dublin area thereby alleviating road traffic congestion and reducing travel times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15451/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

466. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for investment in rail services over the next five years including extensions to services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15452/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 465 and 466 together.

Project Ireland 2040 states that the priority funding objective in relation to mainline rail is the maintenance and renewal of the existing network so that it continues to provide a safe and reliable infrastructure that enables the provision of quality rail services for passengers across the country.  This means ensuring ‘steady state’ levels of investment in our rail infrastructure each year for the foreseeable future and requires a significant and recurring capital investment of around €200 million from the taxpayer every year.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the funding I have secured under Project Ireland 2040 means that we are in a position to provide this steady state level of funding and this is significant and very welcome progress.

In addition to that significant increase in funding to support the infrastructure, we have also been increasing the funding available to support expanded services across the country through the PSO subsidy. That subsidy amounts to around €140 million each year and is paid in accordance with the Public Services Contract that Iarnród Éireann has entered into with the NTA.

So the Deputy can see we have improved the funding framework which in turn has allowed the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann deliver an improved passenger experience.

Such improvements to date include:

- Introduction of 10 minute DART services;

- All peak-time DART services operated by 6 or 8-car train sets only;

- Additional off-peak capacity added to the Kildare Line, Maynooth and Northern Line services;

- Increased usage of the Phoenix Park Tunnel for Kildare Line services;

- Improved journey times on a number of key Intercity routes; and

- The roll-out of the City Centre Re-signalling Project, which will improve train movements thereby providing improved passenger capacity across the network.

Those are all immediate measures but obviously I know there are other medium and longer-term measures required, and key to those measures is the provision of additional rail fleet.

In the medium term, the challenge is to source additional rolling stock as efficiently and effectively as possible and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer in that regard.  The NTA and Iarnród Éireann are currently exploring two options  –

1. The purchase or lease of second-hand fleet;

2. The purchase of additional carriages to augment the existing “ICR” commuter fleet.

The Deputy will be aware that the first option is complicated by the different gauge of the Irish rail network; however, the NTA has recently advertised seeking expressions of interest and is currently considering the responses it received, as well as the proposal to purchase additional carriages. I expect a decision on the medium term response to the capacity challenge will be made very shortly.

In the longer term, and as part of the DART Expansion programme generally, there is a need to significantly increase the size of the rail fleet.  Work on developing tender documentation and train specifications for the proposed bi-mode fleet of rail vehicles is progressing.  It is expected that the formal fleet acquisition tender process will be initiated in the coming months and that the fleet manufacturing contract will be awarded either at the end of this year or the start of next year.

I hope therefore the Deputy can recognise that there are a number of short, medium and longer-term measures underway which are designed to deal with the very welcome increased numbers of passengers availing of our rail network.

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