Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the initiatives Irish Rail has taken to expand and increase the level of rail freight business it operates in view of the company's commitment to develop its rail freight business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13759/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Iarnród Éireann has undertaken extensive engagement with industry and transporters around the country to try to identify long-term, sustainable rail freight business opportunities. Despite recent setbacks, the company has made progress in growing the rail freight business in areas where it holds a competitive advantage over road haulage, including mineral ore and pulpwood. Iarnród Éireann has increased the train load pulpwood business by modifying surplus wagons and providing additional services for Coillte between the west and the south east. It has recently altered rail schedules to provide three additional trains per week for Tara Mines, with a potential to carry an extra 85,000 tonnes per annum of lead and zinc between Navan and Dublin Port. The company has also modified surplus platform wagons to provide a train load service for containers between Ballina and Waterford Port. This new service, initially with two trains per week, is due to commence on 21 April next.

However, it is clear that the company has genuine difficulty in identifying business opportunities which offer reasonable volumes of business on a regular basis to make up complete train loads. It is not feasible to run trains with only one or two containers. Most Irish industry is focussed on "just in time" transport and as our road network continues to expand and improve across the country, the role of rail freight becomes more problematic as all rail journeys involve road movements at each end of the logistics chain. Furthermore, in Ireland distances are short. The experience across Europe is no different. Rail freight activities are most economic where distances are long, where there are large volumes to be transported and where the freight to be carried is not time sensitive.