Mr. Jim Meade:

I thank the Deputy. On the International Warehousing and Transport plan, we work closely with IWT and have worked with it in the past, so I think we are part of that plan and we will continue to work with IWT. We have ambitious proposals for freight. In-house, within Irish Rail, we have recently commissioned a study around freight to understand how we can grow that freight service and get back into it. Currently, freight services cannot be subvented by the State and they must wash their own face, and that is one of the considerations we are looking at. We have ambitious proposals. We are putting those proposals on the table and briefing the Department on them. As part of the overall strategy, we are looking at reconnecting Foynes Port, and that is part of the overall freight strategy. To be fair to the Department, this is also part of its long-term review.

As regards the western rail corridor, subject to the terms of reference detailed with the Department of Transport, we commissioned EY to undertake that study of the western rail corridor. EY then went about its business and it referred back to us if it needed detail. However, it was commissioned to do an independent report and it was allowed to do an independent report. That report was subsequently reviewed by Jasper Consulting and, as we know, neither the review nor the report supported the extension of the western rail corridor based on the terms of reference that were set out at the time.