Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is good to hear that ambition in terms of expansion of electrification. I know the potential that battery-electric trains can provide as they travel from an electrified section charged. They can do an 80 km return journey. There is also the potential for discontinuous overhead electrification, whereby trains pick up charge. In reality we could look at electrifying Dublin to Cork without having to electrify the entire line from Dublin to Cork. There could be discontinuous sections where trains pick up charge. There have been great advancements on this in Germany. It is a reality, one we should be embracing.

I take the point made on the Dublin to Rosslare line. It is a line of significant importance in that it has direct connectivity to Europe as well. The coastal defence works are absolutely necessary. I believe there is scope for expanding the DART coastal proposal. We could look at that. We are extending an existing electrified line rather than trying to provide a new electrified line. It would be cost efficient to extend something that is already in existence and that already has good infrastructure in place. Moreover, from an engineering perspective, it is doable. For the purpose of public transport it not only gives people an option to get to work but it gives people in towns like Kilcoole, Newcastle, Wicklow and, with battery electrification, Arklow the scope to travel to work and benefit from recreation, education and all the things that a good, high-frequency, comfortable and reliable public transport system should offer growing populations.