Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 301: To ask the Minister for Transport the intended investment and expenditure on the expansion of all sections of the rail service, current and proposed, in the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6807/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1 December 2009, rail investment in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) is a matter which comes under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA). In regard to rail investment outside the GDA, we have made clear in our renewed programme for Government that we remain committed to the provision of a safe and efficient network of rail services. A major focus of rail investment in the coming years will be continued investment in the safety of the rail network through the Third Railway Safety Programme, 2009-2013, and I am pleased to say that I have been able to allocate €96 million to this programme in 2010.

In general, given the current difficult funding environment, it will not be possible to progress all the projects in Transport 21 in accordance with the ambitious timescale envisioned at its launch. I am committed however to maintain investment to the maximum amount possible, and to progress planning where possible so that we are in a position to move swiftly to construction as and when funding becomes available. This applies in particular to phases 2 and 3 of the Western Rail Corridor, and to the second phase of the Cork commuter rail project, on the Cork-Mallow line.