Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sure there is a version of spinning it around the showroom but I will make sure the Minister, Deputy Ryan, provides clarity there. Deputy Matthews spent ages on this tonight and he would have known for sure.

I will not repeat and reiterate things that Deputy Ó Cuív knows better than I because he has been there and has seen what the Department of Transport has been doing in enhancing the capacity of the Galway area network when it comes to rail, nor will I insult him by stating exactly when these carriages will come online because he and I know I do not have that exact answer. The Deputy raises an interesting point and there is no need for a philosophical debate but he served in government for a hell of a lot longer than I did so he knows exactly the role of a Minister and a State agency and the frustration all of us feel when the reply is not directly forthcoming from the Minister's office.

However, the budget that has been allocated in the Department to ensure we have a massive increase in public transport services, particularly in rail and light rail, wherever it may be in the country, has been increased year on year, and it is a budget provided to the NTA to make sure there are realistic ambitions based on various feasibility studies. I agree with the Deputy. I know that the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is massively committed to the Deputy on the upgrade of services into Galway, from Limerick and Dublin, via Athenry. This will be achieved. It will not be exactly at the rate and timeline that the Deputy aspires to. It should be but there are lots of issues at play. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to give the Deputy a direct response from his office and not to defer to another agency on exactly when the 41 new carriages will be deployed and on how many will be deployed to specific lines. I will also ask him to reply to An Ceann Comhairle about when they will get on track.

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