Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to improve the quality and frequency of rail services with a view to alleviating traffic congestion on the roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15870/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to increase the capacity of the railway stations at Kilcock, Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Sallins and Hazelhatch, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15871/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.

The scheduling and timetabling of trains is a day-to-day operational matter for Iarnród Éireann to consider. On the basis of projected demand into the future, Iarnród Éireann has submitted a greater Dublin integrated rail network plan which proposes the enhancement of all suburban and outer suburban services into Dublin. The proposals are being examined by my Department at present in the context of the multi-annual investment framework for transport.

Iarnród Éireann plans to place most of the 36 diesel railcars on the Sligo-Dublin line to increase capacity and to remove older rolling stock from service. This will be of direct benefit to Maynooth passengers. The balance of the new fleet will be assigned to the Maynooth and Kildare outer suburban services to increase capacity on those lines.

These allocations will improve the capacity on individual trains by up to 33%. This capacity increase comes on top of a capacity increase of 24% on the Maynooth line and an increase of up to 160% on the Kildare line delivered in the past 18 months.