Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate that the Minister of State is only providing the answer on the part of the Department of Transport but it shows why I have very little confidence in that Department or the NTA on delivery. I am a huge supporter of completing the M11 from Oilgate to Rosslare. That will not assist in any way the 6,500 daily commuters who for the most part are moving north but let us move on with it as quickly as possible. There is no real significant improvement in what will happen on the N11-M11. I had to laugh because it is very similar to the answer I got from Irish Rail. The Minister of State is just confirming that as far as Irish Rail is concerned, south of Wicklow town, it does not really care.

In the context of the reference to new rail carriages on the route to Drogheda, I despair about the level of interest that is there. I support talk about doubling the track from Dublin to Belfast and moving from two to four lines. In that context, I have a simple request. Can we double the Rosslare rail line from a single line to two? When it comes to challenges we will face in the future, Irish Rail is spending huge sums of money on dealing with coastal erosion. Why not invest that money in ensuring that we have a proper rail line, even if we have to move it further inland?

I am disappointed with the response. I appreciate that the Minister of State is answering on behalf of the Minister. I will seek an urgent meeting with the Minister on this matter because the clear message coming back to people in Wicklow and Wexford who commute by rail is that there is no plan whatsoever to try to alleviate the continuing problems.

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