It is important that we have a choice of high-quality, safe and affordable public transport options available to serve businesses and leisure users alike. The national development plan refers to – I will be somewhat parochial – the Dublin-Sligo rail route which passes through County Longford. The plan indicates that substantial upgrading will take place during its lifetime. While I accept that some improvements have been made, I have received numerous complaints about the length of time it takes to get from Longford and Mullingar to Dublin. This subject is close to my heart. There have been several recent breakdowns on this route and rolling stock needs to be upgraded. Journey times seem excessive and this reflects the poor quality of the track, which operates as a barrier to people using the rail lines from various locations.