Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was quite dismayed today to see headlines in at least one newspaper highlighting the National Transport Authority's report on rail, and to see that it was the lead story. This is a report that was published in November 2016, which dumbs down the economic need for vital transport infrastructure, particularly rail, in the west and north-west regions. It is very telling that this report should suddenly resurrect itself and become of interest at a very critical time, when we are putting together a ten-year national capital plan, when we will single out infrastructure projects, such as rail lines and roads, that need investment. It is a red herring. The Department I see benefitting most from report being publicised, and thereby deflecting attention from the need in the west and north-west, is the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.If we were relying on the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, we would not have a train, a bus or an aeroplane entering the west or the north west. The Department does as little as it can for Knock airport.