Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. Many good points have been made by the members and the witnesses and it has been an interesting debate. While we are talking about the West-on-Track case, it gives us an opportunity to look at the bigger picture, which has been described, of development in the regions and the infrastructure problems if we continue to shunt everything towards Dublin. We will never get a solution unless we stop at some point and ask what is our vision. I commend West-on-Track. Mr. Howard Knott cautioned that we should be positive, but I am sure the down the years he encountered obstacles - no more than during the setting up of Knock Airport - because he was pursuing a project whose financial viability was not immediately obvious.

Mr. Cunningham correctly described the economic times he has had to deal with in terms of bringing the finances under control. It is all about viability. The beauty of Iarnród Éireann and CIE being under State control and the State having an input is that we can expect more than that, and perhaps it would allow his company to engage more proactively in a conversation, including with interest groups, on what is our spatial plan is and what is our spatial strategy for transport. We already know freight has been generated in our region. What is the solution for that? Passengers want to travel to different places. Mr. Dawson pointed out that Bus Éireann and the Galway-Limerick train service are competing with each other. We can understand how that has happened, but is that the direction in which we want to go? I have heard the comments of some Deputies who come from areas outside the west and outside the regions. With due respect, if we are not always going to have to ask for help, we need to be helped sufficiently to get to the tipping point after which services will become self-sustaining and many other positives will flow from that. Money is always a problem, but during the boom there was a great deal of money in circulation and not much to show for it. Perhaps we could have that conversation.

With regard to the port of Foynes, it seems the question is when the port will be developed. I did not have the benefit of hearing the witnesses' presentations, but what they described is a no-brainer. The development of a proper port in Foynes would provide an opportunity for businesses in the west and the region north of it to transport goods there. It would present a great opportunity in view of the volume of freight that is being generated and with the ramping up of foreign direct investment in our area, along with the plans and hopes for more.

It is not just a pipe dream, as 90,000 jobs have been created and plans have been set out under the regional enterprise strategy to shunt out development to the regions in a concrete, tailor-made way. Those plans will look at obstacles and how to overcome them, as well as opportunities. That is my observation on Foynes, which involves rail freight. Being realistic, on the passenger side of things, most of us will not get on a train that will take a lot longer to get somewhere. If we are being serious about giving things a chance, these are some of the difficulties that the witnesses have described in the past. I acknowledge that they have been at pains to explain that there has been a great deal more co-operation with Iarnród Éireann, that there is a different view and that a lot of these things are being addressed. However, it is necessary to have the proper journey times.

Regarding the solid business case, I agree that we must always be responsible. There is a tipping point to get to that and we must allow for it. I urge my colleagues from Dublin and other areas to consider that. No matter what party one is a member of in the west, we cannot just look at this in a piecemeal fashion. The approach must be more holistic.

Mr. Dawson referred to assistance in reducing track charges. That is the most pertinent question I wanted to ask him about. What does that mean?

The position in respect of freight from Ballina is impressive, and we are delighted with the activity. When freight stopped being subsidised, a sufficient interest in the service continued. From talking to users, it appears a great deal more could be made of that, and I acknowledge that West on Track is coming from that perspective. Mr. Dawson might elaborate on that.