Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity for the committee to engage with Irish Rail executives. I acknowledge the progress being made with the company. I acknowledge it has been through a number of difficult years but now business is growing. I need not tell the delegates that, with the increasing population and increase in tourism, Irish Rail has to be fit for purpose as a national transport provider. I know it is planning for this. On top of this, there is a greater appetite for sustainable travel. Rail is one of the most comfortable and sustainable types of travel. We need to support it.

Reference was made to the rolling stock and its renewal. I presume that much of the existing stock comprises diesel engines and that the company will make an investment to replace them with electric vehicles. Could we have some more detail on that and the plans over the next two to five years? It is a matter of public interest.

The NTA has a role. The frequency and timing of train travel to meet the needs of service users, be they workers or college students, need to be reviewed to ensure service provision meets demand. What are Irish Rail's plans in this regard? Most important, how does it intend to attract new service users? There is great potential for Irish rail to exploit. People are becoming more conscious of the environment and sustainable travel. There are now opportunities for Irish Rail to attract new generations to using rail. Mr. Kenny might refer to that.

What I want to speak about next might seem a little parochial but it is a national issue. I refer to Plunkett Station, Waterford, and Waterford Port. The witnesses will be aware of the ambitious growth plans for Waterford city under Project Ireland 2040. They will also be aware of the importance of regional development, which is set down by Government policy, and the importance of regional access and connectivity. Taking all these into account, it is critical that we review where Waterford city and its rail services are currently and where they need to be over the next five to 20 years.

As we speak, even without Project Ireland 2040 and the demands of an increasing population, there are issues with Plunkett Station. There has been flooding on the track. From time to time, the station has to be closed. There is a cliff face above the station that makes it vulnerable. Remediation works had to be carried out. There is a serious disconnect with other modes of transport. The train station is not beside a bus station. Passengers who use the Waterford–Dublin service or Waterford-Limerick service have to walk across the bridge to avail themselves of other services. That is also unacceptable. The witnesses will be well aware of these. Even without increasing demand, all these issues have to be addressed.

The good news for Irish Rail - it is a challenge also but good news because there is an opportunity - is that with the arrival of the strategic development zone at the North Quays, there is an exciting development plan now being presented by Waterford City and County Council. The relocation of Plunkett Station is critical to the development plan. Much work has been done on an integrated transport hub for the North Quays. This could enhance rail services and connect them to all other modes of transport while eradicating many of the difficulties with the existing station. It is critical that Irish Rail be fully engaged in this project. It has the backing of the Government and the local authority.

It was said in the contribution that Irish Rail is liaising with Waterford City and County Council. Is Irish Rail working on the development plans? A planning application is to be made shortly. Without disputing it or interfering with that in any way, I make reference to the fact that there is a strategic development zone with the support of the local authority. It is critical that Irish Rail be supportive of the relocation plan for Plunkett Station. How deep is the engagement? Can further information on that be provided to the committee?

With regard to the frequency and timing of rail services, the Waterford–Limerick rail service is not as used as much as we would like and as it should be but there is still potential for it if we can sell it and time trains to match work and college hours. The N24 is probably one of the worst national roads in the country. I often hear people who support rail travel complaining about how the good road is taking business away. This is ironic given that the Waterford-Limerick is one of the worst. I am sitting beside my colleague from Limerick. There should be increased use of the rail service.

What is Irish Rail doing to sell that or to make it more attractive to rail users?

On heavy freight transport, as Mr. Kenny will know, the Port of Waterford has a railway service directly to the port with a lift-on lift-off service, which is important for the sustainability and viability of the port and getting business to the port because lorries are not needed, the ships can berth and the cranes can lift directly from the ships onto the heavy freight train. Again, that is an asset that we are under-utilising. For the information of the committee, of all the freight transport that comes into Ireland through the UK landbridge from mainland Europe, over 80% of that goes through Dublin Port. There is potential for both Rosslare Europort and the Port of Waterford, especially with the onset of Brexit where we will have to have more direct links with mainland Europe. There are opportunities for these ports to expand and grow their services. The infrastructure is already there and the railway is already there and the Port of Waterford is on side in trying to develop that business. I am interested to know if Irish Rail has any deep engagements with the Port of Waterford to exploit those opportunities to increase its business and to increase the business of the Port of Waterford. The Port of Waterford estimated that there is the potential to treble or even quadruple the current business by using the lift-on lift-off rail service at the Port of Waterford if we can get direct access from the EU and access through the UK landbridge.

I know I have raised a lot of issues but most of them are about improving and enhancing rail services in the south east of the country, which is identified for substantial growth under Project Ireland 2040. I want to see infrastructure being put in place ahead of that growth and to attract new users. I am interested to hear the responses of the witnesses.