Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

289. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department and the National Transport Authority will seek to have Dunleer train station reopened to serve communities in the mid-Louth area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12580/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and the overall funding of public transport. Matters relating to the re-opening of railway stations, such as at Dunleer, are a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance.

I understand from Iarnród Éireann that there are no current plans to re-open Dunleer station.  As the Deputy will be aware, CIE is in a difficult financial position and is dependent on continued bank funding.  It has no resources of its own available to fund new projects. No such proposal has been made to my Department or the National Transport Authority for this either. The lifetime of the Government's capital investment plan runs to 2016 and within that capital plan, the priority is to protect the operational network and maintain safety standards, rather than the opening of new stations.

Consideration of a new government capital investment plan beyond 2016 will begin shortly and consideration can be given to this matter within that. However, this will depend on the overall funding made available to transport for all modes, and within that, the funds made available for heavy rail. The priority for heavy rail post 2016 will, as at present, be the protection of the operational network and the maintenance of safety standards. If there are additional funds after that, and this is not certain, there will be competing demands between the opening of new lines, the improvement of existing lines, rolling stock upgrades, the upgrade of in use train stations, as well as the opening of new train stations in different parts of the country. All of these competing demands will be subject to robust analysis and will require strong business cases justifying their value and demonstrating how they will significantly increase patronage on the rail network.