Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

The issue of Irish Rail's removal of the crossover at Athenry was raised in the House on 14 November last when the Minister dealt with it in some detail. The situation is essentially unchanged since that debate.

As the Minister explained, Irish Rail advised him that Athenry is being resignalled as part of a project to modernise the signalling system on the Dublin to Galway line. Design work has been completed for some time and installation work is under way at various stations on the line and is scheduled to be completed in mid-2003. On completion, passengers on the Galway to Dublin line can expect a significant improvement in terms of comfort, safety and speed on the route. When lines are resignalled the opportunity is taken to simplify the track layout of the line based on present services and traffic. The Minister is informed by Irish Rail that there have been no services on the Athenry-Claremorris line for some considerable time. He is assured by the company that should a demand for services on this line arise, the connection can be restored quickly and easily. It stated that no other track work will be lifted on the Athenry-Claremorris line.

For Irish Rail to replace the crossover now would require a revision of the design and planning work that has gone into the project to date. The work would then need to be programmed into the existing work schedule. The Minister has no doubt that this will lead to slippage in both the financial targets and the delivery dates of the project. This project is being part funded by the EU. Senators may well recall that an earlier version of it was the subject of an inquiry. As a result, this current project is being very carefully monitored by the EU Commission.

The strategic rail review, which is nearing completion, is examining the future options for this and other railway lines throughout the State. The review will examine the long-term rail requirements for the country as a whole in light of the emerging spatial planning and regional development policies and local land use and transportation studies. The purpose of the review is to provide the Government with a basis for establishing a strategic policy framework and direction for the future development of the rail passenger and rail freight sectors in Ireland for the next 20 years.

The Minister understands that the submissions included proposals for the development of the western rail corridor which would link Sligo with Cork via Claremorris, Athenry and Limerick. This proposal, together with all the other rail proposals received is currently being assessed by the review consultants who, in finalising the review, will make recommendations in regard to them.