Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Transport when public services will commence on the western rail corridor; the frequency of services; his plans to co-ordinate with connecting services on the Dublin to Cork and Waterford lines to maximise connectivity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47269/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Work on Phase 1 of the WRC, which runs from Ennis to Athenry, is complete and driver training and familiarisation began on the 16th of November. Iarnród Éireann had intended to launch Phase 1 on the 8th of January 2010, with full services commencing on the 9th of January 2010. However, driver training and familiarisation has been on hold since the 18th of November due to flooding at a number of locations. As a result, the opening of the line has now been deferred.

Iarnród Éireann are currently engaged with repair work that is required after the flooding, including to the signalling system which sustained the most water damage. Iarnród Éireann anticipate that this repair work will be completed early in January. When this is achieved, driver training of five weeks duration will re-commence and immediately upon completion of the driver training services will commence. Exact details will be issued by Iarnród Éireann closer to the time but I understand that current expectations are for a launch of services around the second or third week in February.

There will be five services per day in each direction Monday to Saturday and these services have been scheduled to best meet all needs taking into account the current commuter paths into both Limerick and Galway and taking cognisance of the capacity constraints of the single line systems.