Mr. Frank Dawson:

To elaborate, track access charges are those charges imposed by the railway infrastructure company and the railway operating company for the use of the infrastructure. It is like road tax, but it is a rail tax. It is calculated according to a 1,000 tonne track kilometre rate. For every 1,000 tonnes travelling 1 km, there is a set rate throughout Europe. Because there is no assistance available to Iarnród Éireann, our charges are €9.80 per 1,000 tonne track kilometre, whereas elsewhere in Europe the rate is anywhere from €1.50 to €2.50. According to my calculations, total track charges paid by Mayo trains are, I suspect, in the region of €2 million per year. I do not have access to the entrails of the accounts. If they were reduced because of a State subsidy, the cost being passed on to the logistics company would be more attractive.