Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 365: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the acute shortage of adequate parking space at the various rail stations throughout County Kildare coupled with undercapacity of commuter trains and the lack of adequate services to meet the requirements of commuters; if he will take initiatives to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17673/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The provision and management of car parking adjacent to railway stations is an operational matter for Iarnród Eireann and the local authorities. My Department has provided funding of almost €11m to Iarnród Éireann to fund additional car parking spaces at various stations along the rail network including the Kildare and Maynooth lines. These improvement works are due for completion by the end of 2007 and will increase the total car parking available at these stations by over 1600 spaces.

This funding will also cover the costs of feasibility studies by Irish Rail on a car park expansion programme.

In addition, car park provision will form part of major new railway infrastructure works such as the Kildare Route Project and the Navan Rail Link.

The capacity and frequency of services on the railway network have been substantially increased in recent years. Capacity on the Maynooth line has trebled in the last 5 years. The opening of the Docklands Station in March has also provided a significant increase in capacity on this line.