Mr. Jim Meade:

It is not on the critical path. We can handle the first three orders of new carriages with the infrastructure and maintenance facilities we have. We hope to have one of those orders, accounting for 100 carriages, in place before close of business this year. The depot is not on the critical path for those three orders.

While An Bord Pleanála rejected the depot, it had certain criteria it wanted to consider. We are back with An Bord Pleanála looking at whether we can answer the questions it raised or give it other information to see if the depot is viable. We will resubmit for approval within approximately six months. That is the time it will take us to get the information and go back to An Bord Pleanála to see whether we have enough data and supporting information to secure approval for the depot. In parallel with that, we are also looking at alternative sites for the depot. That will be a longer process, however. That is just the nature of it. We have a two-string approach to ensure we get the depot on time. We have several years to do so. We have three, four or possibly closer to five years of work to build out the whole electrification from Maynooth, do the resignalling work and close the level crossings in order to speed up the whole process and get that done. We can do that and use the new trains without the depot for the first three orders of trains.