Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have not seen the numbers but if they add up it would make sense to do it. We want to move freight off the roads and on to rail but we do not want to spend considerable money building a train line which is uneconomic and then requires many more subsidies. As the Deputy points out, capital is a one-off, but subsidies are not.

Thus, if we open a rail line and it can wash its face that is one thing but if we open a rail line and have to keep subsidising it every year that is a different thing. That is why the numbers would have to add up.

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