Mr. Garret Doocey:

The process is that we awarded and signed a contract at the end of August or the start of September - I cannot quite remember - with Arup, which is the lead consultant on it. It has freight specialists working on it as well because, obviously, a focus of the study is the potential for freight. The study has kicked off. We have had the initial meetings and we are currently having weekly meetings. There will be a public consultation launch with regard to the strategic rail review in the near future, that is, the next couple of weeks. That will extend into the new year and provide an opportunity for all public representatives or local communities across the island to make known their views on the future potential of rail.

As for the scope of the strategic rail review, it is looking at inter-urban and inter-regional rail. It is not looking at commuter rail in the five metropolitan cities in the State or commuter rail in Belfast, for example. It is focused on inter-urban and inter-regional, as well as the potential for freight. We expect it to be completed by quarter 4 of next year. The budget for the review indicated in the request for tender was for a maximum of €1 million and it has come in slightly under that.