Noel Grealish (Galway West, Progressive Democrats)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Transport the level of investment made in key transport infrastructure in the west (details supplied) over the past five years, particularly road and rail spend, and corresponding figures for the eastern seaboard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4864/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is not possible to give a breakdown of the level of key rail expenditure in the west and the eastern seaboard region on the county basis specified in the Deputy's question. The provision of public transport, including rail, is by its nature, a trans-regional business. Much of the public transport investment in the five-year period 2000-04 is spread across both the Border, midlands and west BMW, region and the south and east regions.

The benefits of investment in additional rolling stock, the development and upgrading of trackwork and associated facilities and re-signalling projects across the rail network are felt throughout both regions. These benefits include additional capacity, shorter train journey times and improved quality of service and safety. Recent examples of this cross-regional investment include the upgrading of facilities at Heuston Station benefiting mainline rail services to the south and west, the acquisition of 80 new diesel railcars, the new diesel rail depot at Drogheda and vast amounts of funding for trackwork and signalling improvements on mainline lines throughout the country.

Under the national development plan, NDP, and the economic and social infrastructure programme, based on the latest figures available, a total of €210 million was directly spent in public transport projects in the BMW region up to mid-2004. A total of €2.04 billion was invested in the south and east region in the same period. Further substantial expenditure in rail rolling stock and infrastructure improvements was incurred since then in both regions. This will continue to the end of the NDP programme in 2006 and beyond under a multi-annual funding programme for public transport, resulting in continual improvements to rail services.

The level of capital grant assistance provided to the regional airports in counties Galway and Sligo and Knock in Mayo over the past five years is outlined in the following table:

Total capital expenditure by the Irish Aviation Authority on air traffic services infrastructure for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004, by location, was as follows: Dublin, €26,043,000; Mayo, €15,300. The authority incurred no air traffic services capital expenditure in Galway, Sligo, Meath and Kildare in the five years to 31 December 2004. The expenditure in Dublin was part of a major €115 million investment programme in new air traffic management systems and equipment by the authority. The new system and centre in Shannon accounted for €82.6 million of total expenditure.

Relevant expenditure on national roads in the counties specified by the Deputy is set out in the following table.