Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I ask the House to welcome the Government's indication yesterday that it intends to support what it calls the "western rail corridor", which is referred to by Senators as the "Sligo-Waterford-Rosslare line". I have raised this issue in the House at least three times a year for the past 15 years. The House would appreciate an opportunity to discuss the matter with the Minister for Transport, or another representative of the Government. I would like to know how the project will proceed. For example, what timeframe will it have? The last time the matter was raised in the House, Senators were told that the McCann report would be ready by early February of this year, but it now seems that it will not be ready until the middle of April.

I would like the relevant authorities to produce a plan that indicates clearly that the project will be pursued almost immediately. Plans should be put in place to start working on the railway line in three or four areas and not just at the top or bottom of it. I would like this House to propose to the Government that the project should begin in three or four places — south of Sligo, between Tuam and Galway and between Ennis and Galway, for example.

The proposed link from the Limerick-Ennis line to Shannon Airport was not mentioned by the Government yesterday. The reopening of the western rail corridor is the single most significant prospect in the BMW region. There will be a working north-south infrastructural link of quality in that area for the first time. We should ensure that we keep our foot on the pedal in this regard by giving the project every encouragement and continuing the discussion in this House. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the matter as soon as the McCann report is presented and available. I think the proposal will receive wide support on both sides of the House.

A throwaway comment made by the Taoiseach yesterday about the future of the national pensions reserve fund warrants further examination because it was extraordinarily interesting. He said demographic factors might mean it will no longer be necessary, within a short number of years, for us to continue to pay 1% of GNP into the national pensions reserve fund each year. The Taoiseach's statement coincided with the news yesterday that three quarters of the new jobs created in this country last year were taken by immigrant workers. Both factors indicate clearly that change is coming. The Taoiseach is probably right. The national pensions reserve fund was established some years ago on the basis that within 20 years, two or three people would be depending on every working person. As a consequence of the influx of workers from other countries, it no longer looks like that ratio will be accurate.

I would like the Government to outline the current position in this regard. The basis on which the Government makes its plans is never properly explained to this House. We often discuss health, education and housing, but I would like a Minister to come to the House to discuss related matters such as demographics, the birth rate and our dependency ratio. Decisions are made on the basis of a logical extrapolation of information that is available. It is simply a statistical exercise. We need to hear from somebody who makes judgments on the likely position in 15 or 20 years.

The release of moneys from the national pensions reserve fund would have a significant impact on infrastructural projects. It would be the most significant thing we could do. I have supported the national pensions reserve fund from the beginning, when it needed to be established. That does not mean it has to be continued, however. We need to consider how the moneys can be released. I would like the Minister for Finance to indicate how he thinks this matter will develop.