Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action
Renewable Energy and Port Capacity: Discussion
Mr. Glenn Carr:
Yes, although we have significantly reduced them since the most recent report was done. They have been significantly reduced. Where it is a freight-only line, it is different to a passenger-shared line. In a shared line, you are probably looking at the marginal additional cost. The track has to be maintained there anyway for passengers. Therefore, we employ a marginal rate in that circumstance. There is a broader debate about freight-only line. Where there is freight-only line, either the State will have to step in and subsidise it or the corporate world will have to pay for that infrastructure. Our job is to deliver that infrastructure in the most efficient and safe way. I distinguish between a freight-only line and a passenger line, because two different rates kick in when you are looking at track access charges.