Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Members of Seanad Éireann for giving me the opportunity to speak in this debate on the strategic rail review report. As they will know, the review was completed on 3 April. I thank my predecessor, the Leader of the House, Senator O'Rourke, who, when Minister for Public Enterprise, commissioned the report. Under her leadership, substantial investment was made in the rail network over a five to six year period, to the extent that over 85% of the entire track network has been renewed. That was done at the specific insistence of my predecessor, who made a substantial contribution to the future of Irish railways.

I am pleased that the review has already created a good debate nationwide. I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate as I strongly believe in the critical importance of rail for the future economic and social development of our country. The strategic rail review is probably the most comprehensive, significant and rigorous analysis of the rail sector ever undertaken in Ireland. It is certainly the only major analysis of rail in Ireland that advocates the revitalisation and expansion of the rail network.

The primary purpose of the review was to provide the Government with a basis for establishing a strategic policy framework for the future development of the rail passenger and rail freight sectors in Ireland. The review follows on from, and complements the findings of, the national spatial strategy which was published by the Government late last year. Specifically, the consultants who carried out the work were asked to: prepare a strategic framework for future Government decisions on rail development in Ireland over the next 20 years; quantify the broad financial requirements necessary to implement the recommended strategy; and assess the costs and benefits of the recommended strategy