Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Some €13 million has been allocated to Iarnród Éireann under the EU TEN-T, trans-European transport network, programme since 2000. Some €3 million was provided towards safety and upgrade works on the Cork to Dublin to Belfast rail line under the 2000 to 2006 TEN-T multi-annual indicative programme. Of this, approximately €100,000 was spent on the Dublin to Belfast section of the line. A further €10 million was allocated to the DART underground project, which connects the northern or Belfast line to the southern or Cork line, under the 2007 to 2013 TEN-T multi-annual indicative programme. In the case of the DART underground, this funding covers the design and development process, geotechnical investigations and various surveys and studies that include topographical surveys, condition surveys, archaeological surveys and utility surveys.

TEN-T funding, if approved by the TEN-T Executive Agency of the EU Commission, is provided at a rate of 50% of total costs for studies and 10% of total costs for works. For this reason, my Department applied for support for eligible projects contained within the Transport 21 investment framework and for which supporting Exchequer funding was available.

A Derry to Letterkenny rail link was examined as part of the strategic rail review undertaken by transport consultants Booz & Company on behalf of my Department and completed in 2003. The review did not recommend investment in the Derry to Letterkenny rail link. In light of the recommendation contained in the strategic rail review, a Derry to Letterkenny rail link is not a priority for investment in the current difficult economic situation. In such circumstances, it would be difficult to support an application for TEN-T funding in respect of such a rail link.

The next multi-annual programme of TEN-T funding commences in 2013 and consideration can be given at that time to further applications for TEN-T support for studies or works.

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