Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentation. The documentation we received before the meeting states with a view to achieving a modal shift of passengers to rail and better value for public money, the opening of the domestic market through the introduction of mandatory tendering of PSO contracts is sought. It is almost as if there is an unstated assumption that mandatory tendering will lead to a modal shift of passengers to rail. Has this been independently verified, validated or demonstrated anywhere?

If we had a submersible rail link between this Ireland and Britain and on to Europe the proposal would make much more sense. I can see how the proposal makes sense on the Continent, but I find it much more difficult to see how it makes equal sense for an island such as Ireland which does not have a submersible link to Britain.

There is to be non-discriminatory access to rolling stock, particularly where there is no well-functioning rolling stock leasing market. I assume the rolling stock here is owned by taxpayers. How will we ensure the taxpayer gets a return on this ownership?

Perhaps my next question has little or nothing to do with the discussion we are having, but it is interesting. Section 1.4 discusses a social dimension in terms of job quality and safeguards. We should probably examine this with regard to tendering for public service contracts in the wider arena.