Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The point I was coming to in my previous contribution was how to get the balance right between the fares charged and number of people travelling. It brings us back to people living in sparsely populated, spread-out rural areas where it is much more difficult to provide an adequate service because they do not have the numbers using the service. The big issue for me, coming from the west, is the western rail corridor and related opportunities. That brings us to TEN-T and the possibility of funding. Mr. Strachan mentioned the envelope the Exchequer has and that we have an obligation to spend it wisely. However, we also have an obligation to future generations because rail infrastructure lasts a long time - it has been there since Victorian times. It is not a short-term investment but a very long-term investment that we have to look at over the long term. I would like to hear Mr. Strachan's views on that. I accept that he told us that rail, depending on the type, is expensive from the perspective of the amount of subsidy it requires. However, from the perspective of the longevity of the investment and the return on it, it requires deeper consideration.