Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason recent media reports of Government orders for new railcars excluded the Dublin to Rosslare Europort route even though new carriages were expected to replace the current commuter trains on this route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4859/05]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Transport if he intends increasing the frequency of trains on the Dublin to Rosslare Europort line in line with what is expected to happen on other important railway lines in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4865/05]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason the Greystones to Rosslare Europort line is expected to be the last for the new Iarnród Éireann mini-CTC programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4866/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 334, 338 and 339 together.

Iarnród Éireann considers the development of the infrastructure and the use of particular rolling stock on a route in the light of the demand for services and the likely return on the investment required. Iarnród Éireann informs me that it has upgraded all the trackwork on the Rosslare line in the past two years. More modern rolling stock was allocated to the route since last December. The timetable has been altered to provide a better spread of services, including an early morning departure from Dublin. Commuters from Gorey have been facilitated since last year by extending the Arklow commuter train to serve Gorey.

The company is undertaking a significant network-wide re-signalling project and work on the Rosslare line is due to be completed in 2007. From 2007 onwards it is intended to provide a two-hourly frequency in both directions on the route with reduced journey times.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Progressive Democrats)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will receive the report on the working group on the western rail corridor; when he expects to make a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4862/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Last year, my predecessor as Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, appointed a working group to carry out an examination of the proposal to re-open the western rail corridor. The group is under the chairmanship of Mr. Pat McCann, group chief executive, Jurys Doyle Hotel Group. The group comprises county managers, directors of the regional authorities, representatives of city and county development boards, the Western Development Commission, West-on-Track and the intercounty rail committee, Iarnród Éireann, the Railway Procurement Agency and my Department. The working group and its sub-groups have been considering the question of the feasibility of the western rail corridor since June last year and I understand that it may now be nearing the end of its deliberations. Accordingly, I expect to receive a report in the coming months. Prior to the receipt of that report it would be premature for me to make any further comment.