Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

Iarnród Éireann is getting out of the freight business and is reported to be selling off €4.5 million worth of freight carriages that were only purchased in 2002 and have scarcely been used. This is a hugely short-sighted and deranged State policy and the Minister for Transport needs to come to the House to discuss it. Freight services are crying out for competition. If Iarnród Eireann will not operate in the freight business, private sector operators, who are prepared to run freight traffic on railways, should be allowed in. The abandonment of rail freight travel is the last thing we need given the condition of our roads. We do not need more heavy goods vehicles on our roads, with all the attendant pollution and road safety implications. The Deputy Leader should comment on this issue this morning and ask the Minister to come to the House to discuss State policy on freight because it is mad.