Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the follow-up.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport should, and does, work with those who are developing land and should keep up to date with the population projections and the building and development in the area in order to be able to adequately provide transport in advance or certainly prepare in advance for those sort of developments. I take the Deputy's point.

The rail portfolio is not all about closing stations, it is involves developing stations that need to be opened for commuters in Dublin or the greater Dublin area. Those stations might not necessarily produce a profit but they could fulfil the criteria relating to the societal needs and value-for-money considerations that exist.

I do not believe that rail a mode of transport for the past. It is probably one for the future, if it is developed selectively. I think the rail review, to which I urge the Deputy to make a submission in respect of this hopeful point, will identify where stations should be opened. I do not know whether it will identify closures but we will certainly have a clear picture after the consultation process.

I say this to give the Deputy encouragement. One of the most satisfying aspects of my transport portfolio was highlighted only a couple of weeks ago when the Phoenix Park tunnel reopened. The latter, in turn, facilitated the reopening of a line from Park West in the western part of Dublin to the docklands in order to satisfy commuters' needs, particularly in the context of bringing them across the city. That offers me some hope for the future for areas such as Navan, if they can justify and make compelling cases to bring commuters into the city in circumstances where there is no other viable mode of transport available to them.

See this speech in context