Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I too welcome the Minister to the House for this very important debate. I thank the Leader and the Minister for responding to our request last week for an early debate on this matter, which arises against the background of what would appear to be a desire by CIE to close certain rail lines and downgrade and downsize the level of freight being carried on the rail lines.

There are two specific matters I want to talk about. One concerns the strategic rail review, which touches on rail freight in the wider context of public transport. The Limerick to Ballybrophy line, also known as the Nenagh line, is the subject of much discussion in the mid-western area and linked to the issue of the strategic rail review and the future of rail and spatial planning.