Mr. Tim Duggan:

I want to clarify that it is not that CIE is paid 40%. The discount that is applied is 40%. It would not be moving from 40% to 80%. I suspect what they are suggesting is that the discount rate be reduced from 40% to 20%.

I said in my opening statement that the Department is engaged with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the NTA in considering how the funding is organised and structured. Based on this, we will take information to the Minister and the Government. If the Government then decides to do something about this, as Deputy Barry has suggested, that will result in increased funding to CIE, but it will also mean that it is new, additional money that the Department will require for the additional funding. This is a matter for Government.