Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

My Department and the National Transport Authority are working with Iarnród Éireann to increase the efficiency and attractiveness of existing rail services.

The Government continues to provide substantial Exchequer investment in the rail network despite the significant financial challenges. In the past two years almost €385 million has been invested in Iarnród Éireann and further investment of over €130 million will take place this year. The overall investment in railway safety is in excess of €1.5 billion since 1999 when the railway safety programme commenced. There has also been significant investment in rolling stock, on upgrading the Kildare route and opening new routes such as Cork commuter route, Navan phase 1 and phase 1 of the western rail corridor.

The investment regime for Iarnród Éireann for 2014 is being reviewed having regard to the anticipated completion of the railway safety programme by the end of 2013 and new EU-mandated infrastructure management contract requirements, allied to the need to ensure value for money in the spending of constrained Exchequer funding. It is envisaged that from 2014 onwards investment in Iarnród Éireann will concentrate on maintaining and renewing a fit-for-purpose rail network, augmented by some targeted investment enhancements which will be limited due to the overall level of resources available for transport investment up to 2016.

On 24 July 2012 the Government decided to provide additional PSO funding of €36 million to CIE companies. This brought the total subvention paid to CIE in 2012 to €278 million, of which €166.4 million was paid to Iarnród Éireann. CIE is progressing a five-year business plan to address the underlying financial challenges facing CIE so that the CIE's rail and bus services can be provided efficiently and cost effectively over the plan period.

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