Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

100. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to reintroduce catering services on rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51698/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister mentioned he was in Heuston Station this morning. I saw him there with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. He may have noticed the 7 a.m. train from Tralee, which came in shortly before he arrived without any catering service on it. We would think between the lot of the Ministers who were down there that they might be able to sort it out. I do not want to be flippant but after I raised this on the previous occasion someone wrote to me in verse: Will you ask the Minister for Transport what does he think? Four hours is a long time without something to drink.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Not being flippant but I also saw some really good shops in Heuston Station, and good work has been done at stations throughout the network whereby people can buy a drink, a bottle of water or a cup of tea. Having said this, to be fair-----

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are other people who cannot go to the shop.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What was that?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Keep going Minister, please, without interruption.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will answer Deputy Daly. This is an issue he has raised previously with regard to when catering services will be rolled out again. I completely understand people's wish to see services return on all rail lines. However, if there is a choice between the taxpayer funding actual rail services or catering services on trains I am clear, as I have been previously, that taxpayer funding is best directed towards providing rail services themselves.

I understand from Iarnród Éireann that it has been working to restore catering services where possible following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions on rail services. It has been engaging extensively with a range of operators in the market. However, the reality is that costs have significantly increased, at up to four times the previous levels quoted. Iarnród Éireann has had to deliver the service on a limited basis, within the available funding.

A full tender process was undertaken for catering services across the Intercity network within current public service obligation funding. While the costs have been determined, Iarnród Éireann has only been in a position to restore catering services on the Dublin to Cork route with an Irish company, Carriage Food Services Limited, on an interim basis. As Deputy Daly knows, on-board catering is also available on the Dublin to Belfast Enterprise service, which is jointly operated by Iarnród Éireann and Translink and provided under a separate contract. The company continues to engage with the NTA and my Department on what is an important matter to people.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree that we have raised this issue previously. In fact, back in February we received a reply that the tendering process had been progressed and was at an advanced stage with costings established, and that it was with the NTA for funding. Is there any need to outsource it to a company that will charge a seven-figure amount? When I was a student and after that, Iarnród Éireann directly employed people in its catering section to sell the items in question. We are speaking about trains going from Sligo and Mayo to Dublin and the Tralee service, which is probably the longest journey in the country at four hours. People are forced to make these long journeys with no access to catering. They cannot wait until they arrive at Heuston Station. There are many elderly customers on their way to meet consultants in Dublin or going to medical appointments. They do not have a cup of water on the journey for four hours. Promises have been made and nothing has been done.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Deputy Daly can come back in. The Minister to respond.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To answer Deputy Daly's question, I have encouraged Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other avenues to support the wider reintroduction of catering services. I was honest with Deputy Daly about the costs. If the NTA were to award a contract at four times the cost of what operated prior to Covid, questions would rightly be asked about it. I have asked the NTA and Iarnród Éireann to explore other options and to revert to me. I hope these discussions might bear fruit shortly. I will keep Deputy Daly informed on it.

I do think it is important, and I was not being flippant earlier, that there has been significant investment in our stations, including from an accessibility perspective. Yesterday in the Department I met a disabled transport user group. They were very informative on their lived experience about accessibility. Our facilities across our Intercity rail stations have greatly improved but we are exploring other options.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

On many of the trains the facilities are there. There is a counter there.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I know.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What is wrong with employing someone to sell a packet of crisps or some water? This suspension of services was only supposed to be a temporary measure during Covid. As we know, passenger numbers have increased. The service is continuing without any catering. It was not meant to be the new normal. I cannot understand how the mentality is fixed in their brains that they cannot directly employ someone and make them an employee of Iarnród Éireann. I am not even talking about providing hot food but they could provide a cup of tea or a bottle of water. This surely should not be too hard to establish. It would not cost a seven-figure sum to employ people such as this on all of the services throughout the country. It is fine having it on the Dublin to Cork service, which is a two-and-a-half hour journey, and on the Belfast service, which we have used ourselves, but what about the rest of the country?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I do get the point. A number of our rail cars and rail lines have the facilities on the trains. I have looked, and I have asked Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other options, including the option Deputy Daly has articulated here today. I am hopeful this will bear fruit shortly. Deputy Daly has asked this question regularly, as have Government colleagues. I understand the position. I will revert once the discussions have concluded and we have options that would be affordable and would make sense whereby we are not paying out more money through the PSO when those moneys could be used to provide additional services. Deputies here understandably look for additional services because more and more people are using public transport. There were 330 million passenger journeys last year. There has been an increase already year on year of approximately 10.5%. People are responding to the better services that are there but we still need to work to improve them.