Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)

Commuter services should be developed in the midland triangle from Castlerea to Tullamore and Mullingar through to Ballinasloe. It would only take two DMU units to do so.

The Minister has travelled through the Phoenix Park tunnel, as have I on a couple of occasions. The tunnel could provide relief to passengers on the Heuston line. It will not solve the problem but we now have capacity with the opening of Spencer Dock station.

Serious consideration should be given to using the capacity available at the new station at Spencer Dock to provide additional services into the city centre for people who traditionally alight from trains at Heuston Station. The only reason Irish Rail has not been promoting this option to date is that it believes to do so would undermine its case in respect of the interconnector. I do not believe that to be the case. We need the interconnector. However, we have another asset in place in the shape of a state-of-the-art and fully automated and signalled section of railway line at Spencer Dock and we should utilise the capacity it has to offer.

I commend the motion to the House.

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