Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive statement. The brief we have received indicates that there was much debate about very important issues. I wish to focus on two. One is slightly related to the main one about rail transport. I assume this is the TEN-T package. To put it in context, a directive relating to rail transport was brought before the committee a couple of months ago and I asked for a clarification of it. If memory serves, the clarification I received said that it was to encourage further development and investment in rail infrastructure across member states. I am sorry I do not have the directive with me and I appreciate that I am throwing this at the Minister when there are so many directives coming forward. However, the reason I raise it is to give a context for a question which relates to a submission the committee received some months ago from the promoters of the western rail corridor. That corridor is an ongoing topic for the committee.

The Minister will be well aware that there are competing interests in respect of that rail corridor. On the one hand, the group we met is promoting, initially at least, an expansion of the rail corridor to accommodate increased freight traffic. The group showed us a map of Ireland which indicated that if the rail corridor were to be developed for rail freight from the north west down to Limerick and then to link up with Waterford, it would be more efficient than the current transit process which obliges one to transport freight across the country to Dublin and then take it from Dublin to the southern and south-eastern ports. We received a reply from the Minister that due to lack of funding, rather than lack of interest, there were no plans to develop the rail corridor. In light of what appears to be an ongoing promotion of the usage of rail transport, does the Minister have some thoughts on that? For example, a meeting is due to take place and Luxembourg has indicated that one of its priorities will be to meet the common objective of promoting rail transport throughout the Union.

I believe the development of the western rail corridor for freight, initially, is at least an answerable cause. I am sure the Minister is very pleased that the most recent figures published by the national transport company show a significant increase in user traffic on Dublin Bus, the Luas, the DART, on the bus expressways across the country and also in rail traffic. Those who use our rail system at present will agree that it is generally an excellent service, despite some glitches at peak times for the commuter system.

Bearing all of that in mind, perhaps the Department should give serious consideration to that and whether Europe would be able to help out financially, if it is keen on promoting the use of rail. In view of the Luxembourg priorities, there might be some way through the Minister's ongoing discussions at European level that the EU could assist the Irish Government if it were to embark on the development of the western rail corridor, for example. I am not referring to passenger traffic in this context but to freight traffic. The case that was made to us was unanswerable in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness and usage. I do not wish to labour the point but I have a specific interest in that.

My final point is brief. Tomorrow we are meeting with a Northern Ireland Assembly committee on tourism development in the country. While great strides have been made in ensuring there is access across the island, there is a black spot in the west and north west in terms of the road infrastructure. The road from Galway through Mayo, Sligo, into Enniskillen and then north requires more funding. In fairness, this Government and the previous Government provided funding on a piecemeal basis. I do not suggest it should be a dual carriageway, but there certainly should be continuing funding for it.

I would hope that in the North-South Ministerial Council meetings he would also press for the Northern authorities to try to extend their road network from Belfast going west into Enniskillen. Until it hits the Ballygawley roundabout, the route from Enniskillen leaves a lot to be desired and the Northern Executive appears not to have spent any money on that. I appreciate that the Minister cannot say at the North-South Ministerial Council meeting that we want Northern Ireland to spend more money only for them to ask why we are not spending more in the South. I refer to that particular section of access from a tourist point of view because much of the tourist traffic going to the west goes to Galway, Mayo and Sligo, and then to Donegal. If there was an improved network, particularly the Sligo to Enniskillen route, it would be helpful in terms of increasing tourist traffic North and South.