Mr. Frank Dawson:

On Deputy Dessie Ellis's point about carbon savings, we are very happy to provide the basis of our calculations for the committee. We estimate the figure to be in the region of €2 million a year. We used a number of parameters, with which I do not think the Environmental Protection Agency would disagree. I do not have that opinion, but I do know that they are based on calculations in other jurisdictions in Europe.

The question about landowners does not arise in the context of the Athenry to Claremorris line because it is an existing railway line which has been classified as an engineer's siding by Iarnród Éireann. A train could be run on it tomorrow if that was the choice made. It was never closed; it is simply not utilised.

The position on the route north of Claremorris, an issue raised by Deputy Michael Colreavy, is slightly different, although it has not been abandoned. The obvious answer, as suggested in the McCann report, is that it merits further investigation. The ideal methodology would be to identify the optimal route. There is an airport and a major shrine between Claremorris and Sligo which might be considered in identifying the optimal route. Whether the route is opened next year or in 40 years, it should be identified and protected. The exercise might identify parts of the existing route that would not be deemed to form part of the optimal route for the future and that might be given over for other purposes.

There should not be a conflict between those who propagate greenways and railway lines as they are essentially different. There may be some who are suggesting the existing railway line be turned into a greenway. I respectfully suggest there are many other routes which could be used for greenways in the beautiful west than existing critical infrastructure routes.

In one sense there is an issue of private investment. There are private parties associated with railway operations such as the logistics companies that have been named, plus the State company, Coillte, and the road freight industry which collaborates in the use of freight trains. There is a unique marriage between logistics companies and the road and rail freight industries which deserves encouragement. We estimate that a sum of approximately €1.5 million in carbon subsidies to the existing rail freight service of Iarnród Éireann would result in it being able to halve current rail freight access charges, from €10 to €5. They would still be twice that elsewhere in Europe, but it would go a long way towards attracting more business. The bottom line is that if track charges were to be reduced, more customers would be encouraged.