Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 26 November 2009, if he will further respond to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2973/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I responded directly to the person in question on 25th January 2010. A copy of the letter is set out below for the information of the Deputy. January 2010 Ms. Lisa Doyle Lisadoyle61@hotmail.co.uk Dear Ms. Doyle, I refer further to your email regarding Iarnród Éireann services to/from Laytown, Co. Meath.

As I am sure you appreciate a number of the issues raised in your letter are day-to-day operational matters for Iarnród Éireann. However, given that you went to the trouble of contacting me to voice your concerns and to try and be helpful in responding to you my Department raised these matters directly with the company and asked for a response.

At the outset it might be useful to advise you that I have in recent months introduced significant reforms in relation to arrangements for the delivery of public transport infrastructure and services. The National Transport Authority was recently established and this body now has statutory responsibility to procure public transport services and, in relation to the Greater Dublin Area, secure public transport infrastructure on behalf of the State. The new Authority has recently entered into public service contracts with each of the CIE companies. The purpose of these contracts is to set enforceable standards in relation to the quality and quantity of services provided to the State in return for the payment of State subvention.

Your specific queries related to ticket pricing, the rail service to Laytown, Exchequer and EU funding of Iarnród Éireann and the plans to enhance rail services in the Greater Dublin Area under the Transport 21 Investment Framework. I shall seek to address each of these in turn.

As part of the reforms I referred to earlier the approval of fare increases for Iarnród Éireann is now the responsibility of the recently established National Transport Authority. Prior to the setting up of the Authority, my Department approved the standard single fare in respect of bus and rail services provided by the CIÉ companies. This is now a matter for the Authority. Return fares, discounted fares, concessionary fares etc. are a matter for the companies concerned. No increase is proposed for 2010 in the price of the annual Taxsaver commuter ticket from Laytown to Dublin. Iarnród Éireann has advised my Department in response to your letter that the price of €1,770 quoted by yourself has been the price of that ticket that has applied since March 2009 and ticket prices are based broadly on distance travelled. For example Laytown is 42km from Dublin and the annual ticket costs €1,700 whereas, in comparison, Skerries is 28km from Dublin and the annual ticket cost is €1,030.

In relation to train services, in this case services from Laytown, again, this is a day-to-day operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. On this issue Iarnród Éireann has stated that in the morning peak hour, it provides 5 departures from Laytown arriving in Dublin between 8am and 9am. This is an average frequency of a train every 12 minutes, which is comparable with DART frequencies. In the evening peak hour, there are 4 departures from Dublin to Laytown between 5.15pm and 6.15pm, which would also be similar to train frequencies on other routes such as the Maynooth line. In relation to the quality and reliability of such services, Iarnród Éireann have also advised my Department that prior to the Malahide Viaduct incident on the 21st of August 2009, that 93.6% of trains on the northern commuter line were arriving on time or within 5 minutes of schedule. The company has indicated that, since the reintroduction of services following the reconstruction of the viaduct, there have been some temporary speed restrictions in place on the line. However, a number of these have already been removed and punctuality has returned to 95.45% of trains arriving within 10 minutes of schedule.

With regard to Exchequer and EU Capital Funding, over the last 5 years 2005 to 2009, Iarnród Éireann has received funding for the Transport 21 capital investment programme from the Exchequer and EU as set out in the following table.

The Transport 21 programme for rail has included the infrastructure renewal programme, the rolling stock replacement programme, station upgrading and accessibility works and car parking extensions. In Laytown, in particular, €1.5m has been provided for station accessibility works and these are nearing completion

In terms of appraising projects, my Department fully complies with the Department of Finance Guidelines on "The Appraisal and Management of Capital Expenditure Proposals in the Public Sector". For your information, this can be found at http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/other/capappguide05.pdf

As I stated in a press release on 9th December the public transport subvention provision payable to CIE is €276 million for 2010, which is a reduction of €27 million (8.8%) in 2009. This reduction reflects the need to reduce public expenditure in the current very difficult economic climate. The CIE companies will seek to minimise the impact by continuing their work to reduce costs and increase efficiency. This press release can be found at: http://www.transport.ie/pressRelease.aspx?Id=149

Transport 21 Programme

The "Inter-connector" is now known as the DART Underground. The preliminary design of the project has been completed. Work is currently underway on the scheme design, geotechnical investigation and preparation of an environmental impact study including a detailed archaeological report. Iarnród Éireann undertook further public consultations during November and early December in the lead up to the Railway Order application and expect to submit an application for a Railway Order to An Bord Pleanala in early 2010. The DART Underground will deliver:

?A second high capacity DART line through the heart of the city centre, a 7.5 kilometre underground line;

?Dramatically increased frequency and capacity for services on the Northern, Maynooth and Kildare lines - the three fastest growing population corridors in the country – and relieving the current congestion at Connolly Station;

?A fully integrated rail network for the Greater Dublin area, linking all modes - DART, Commuter, Intercity, LUAS and Metro - and ensuring that suburb to suburb as well as suburb to city centre journeys can be made by a frequent, high capacity public transport network;

?Two high capacity DART lines proposed as Balbriggan/Howth to Hazelhatch; and Maynooth/Dunboyne (M3) to Bray/Greystones, with DART extensions to some routes likely to be delivered in advance of the DART Underground;

?A trebling of the number of passenger journeys by DART and Commuter rail annually - up from 33 million today to 100 million;

?A critical piece of urban, regional and national infrastructure; and

?Between 6,000 and 7,000 jobs directly in each year of the construction phase, with many thousands more jobs indirectly.

I have stated on many occasions that the DART Underground and Metro North are the main public transport priority projects.

Further information on the Dart Underground and other Transport 21 projects can be found at the following links. http://www.transport21.ie/ http://www.transport21.ie/Projects/Heavy_Rail/DART_Underground.html http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/dart_underground.asp http://www.transport21.ie/Projects/Heavy_Rail/Electrification_of_and_Provision_of_Rolling_Stock_on_the_Dublin_Suburban_Network.html

As I explained many of the issues you refer to are a matter for Iarnród Éireann. However, I appreciate you taking the trouble to write and I have taken careful account of your comments. I have asked Iarnród Éireann to do likewise. Yours sincerely Noel Dempsey TD Minister for Transport