Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious of the review and I am aware there are question marks regarding the Waterford to Limerick railway also. I refer back to Project Ireland 2040. If the population projections for the five regional cities of the State and the increased populations in their hinterlands are not taken into account in the review, then the review is not bona fide. Project Ireland 2040 is an ambitious plan that, for the first time, provides for capital expenditure in tandem with the growth strategies for the State. If we are planning for population growth, it is important that we also plan for the infrastructure associated with that growth such as housing, broadband and especially public transport. Any review that does not take Project Ireland 2040 into account needs to be reviewed again because that is the plan for the next 20 years. When the ten-year capital plan is announced, there will be funding to support that. We should certainly take account of that plan, especially with regard to rail infrastructure, and support it where possible.

I reiterate my earlier point on the promotion of the benefits of rail travel among our younger generations. Many younger people have not experienced it because most of them have cars and are using motorways. It is a diminishing return. Students will use it for college if it is on their doorstep but additional benefits to rail travel could be promoted. If a promotion was run to attract younger people to use the railway, we would see the benefits of that. There is a future in rail travel and I am certainly supportive of it. I would support Iarnród Éireann in any way to try to promote rail travel.