Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Pearse Doherty for raising this important issue and giving me the opportunity to respond on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Noel Dempsey, who is unavoidably absent. He would have liked to be here because this issue is very much a part of his brief.

Transport 21, which is the medium-term investment framework for transport, does not provide for the development of a railway line between Sligo and Derry. The resources for mainline rail investment under Transport 21 are focused on the complete transformation of the rolling stock, including most recently that operating on the Sligo to Dublin line, on infrastructural projects such as the western rail corridor and other upgrade projects in various parts of the country, together with resignalling projects and the interconnector and electrification projects in Dublin.

Transport 21 also provides through the railway safety programme for major ongoing investment to upgrade the rail network throughout the country. It is also the case that the strategic rail review, which fed into Transport 21's mainline rail investment programme, did not identify a Sligo-Derry link as a feasible option. The primary findings of the review are contained in its recommended investment strategy which lists the priority areas for rail development. Rail services between Derry, Letterkenny, Donegal and Sligo are not included in the strategic rail strategy.

As far as the Department and the Minister are aware, there is no plan on the part of the Northern authorities for such a project. I have no reason to doubt Senator Doherty's comments on what Conor Murphy has committed to and we will pursue the matter through the Department of Transport. The Ministers with this responsibility — Mr. Murphy and Deputy Dempsey — will meet again and I will bring to them the Senator's opinions regarding the contributions to which the Northern authorities have committed on their side of the Border.

While rail links are important, we cannot consider transport infrastructure in isolation from road and air services. In considering the case for a Derry-Sligo rail link, it is important to bear in mind the improvements made in transport links to the north west. I stated this yesterday during the debate on Senator Keaveney's Adjournment matter to which Senator Doherty referred, namely, the Derry-Coleraine link. In recent years, upgrades of roads such as the N2, the N14 and the N15 serving the north west have been completed and more are planned. I referred to the investment under Transport 21 leading to further improvements in transport infrastructure serving the region, including the Atlantic corridor from Derry-Letterkenny down the east of the county to Donegal, to the west, the south and on to the south east.

Senator Doherty will be aware, and it is something of which we in Government and in public life should be proud, that the Government has agreed to make available €580 million to provide for a major upgrade of roads, not between Dublin and Donegal-Letterkenny, but within Northern Ireland and serving the north-west gateway of Letterkenny and Derry. This project is being advanced by the National Roads Authority and the Roads Service of Northern Ireland under the auspices of the North-South Ministerial Council. Progress is being made.

I refer to the funds that have been provided by successive Governments in respect of the public service obligations to the Dublin-Donegal air link and the Dublin-Derry route, which is under the jurisdiction of the Northern Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Irish taxpayer makes a major contribution in this regard. Senator Doherty will be aware of the advantages of the air link between Carrickfinn, Donegal's airport, and Dublin and it is an opportunity to remind many of us who use that link that there is a substantial subsidy. We should not need to thank anyone for this because we are one of the few counties in the country without a rail link. There must be positive discrimination.

I pay tribute to all of those involved in Carrickfinn Airport and the airline in particular for providing a twice daily service between Dublin and Donegal and a thrice weekly service between Donegal and Glasgow Prestwick Airport. As Glasgow has such an ethnic link with Donegal, there is a great demand for the service. We must remind ourselves that the Glasgow leg is not subsidised because it is outside the jurisdiction. However, as Derry is on the island of Ireland, we can provide funding for the capital improvements to Derry Airport.

It is no harm to sell ourselves. If one drives from Dublin to Donegal, one will travel up the M1 and bypass Ardee, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and the inner relief road in Monaghan. The only town through which one will pass is Emyvale, from which one will travel to Aughnacloy. With the €580 million to be provided by the taxpayer, I hope it will not be too long before there is movement in respect of design, procurement and the actual work, which can take some time, all of which have been acknowledged by the Senator. I had the privilege of opening the Ballyshannon-Bundoran bypass, which cost more than €80 million. The Government is committed to providing €100 million for the Ballybofey-Stranorlar bypass. While we may not have a rail link, substantial funds are being invested.

It is right that we should have an improved infrastructure because everyone acknowledges that this is linked with economic progress and growth. Donegal's rate of unemployment is higher than the national average. This may be owing to its location but neither I nor Senator Doherty could or would change that because we believe Donegal is the centre of the world.

Substantial funds are being made available and I am interested in learning from Senator Doherty of Conor Murphy's commitment. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, to discuss it with the Northern Minister at the next available opportunity, possibly at the North-South Ministerial Council.