Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the revised rail review will be published; the position regarding Iarnród Éireann; the debt at the company; the safety issues that have been flagged; and the steps he plans to take to improve matters including details of capital investment. [37795/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The National Transport Authority (NTA) and Iarnród Éireann report on the Rail Review was published in 2016. Since then, the NTA has held a public consultation on the Review. Over 300 submissions were received in response to that consultation process. 

A report of those submissions has been submitted to my Department by the NTA and I intend to bring the report to Government for consideration.

It is my intention that the NTA's report on the consultation would be published by the NTA following consideration by Government. In advance of that, no decisions have been taken regarding matters such as the future of individual rail lines.

I have stated previously that there are no plans for the closure of any parts of the rail network. The Taoiseach has also given assurances in the Dáil in recent months that there are no plans in this regard.

Regarding the financial performance of the company, according to Iarnród Éireann's most recently published financial statements the company incurred a deficit of €1.1 million in 2017, which was lower than the deficit of €2.9 million that was incurred in the previous year. The continued recovery of our national economy has resulted in increased passenger journeys and consequent growth in passenger revenue for Irish Rail.

All debt (in the form of external third party borrowings) within the CIÉ group of companies is held by CIÉ holding company. As Iarnród Éireann is a wholly owned subsidiary of CIÉ holding company, there is no debt (in the form of external third party borrowings) currently held by Iarnród Éireann.

In relation to the Deputy's query on safety, the strong record of Iarnród Éireann in this regard is acknowledged by the European Union Agency for Railways' review of safety performance and by the Commission for Railway Regulation.

The Commission's most recent Railway Safety Performance in Ireland report, in December 2017, stated that "The safety performance of our principal railway organisations in 2016 was, on the whole, positive, particularly given the backdrop of increased passenger numbers on both Iarnród Éireann and on the Luas." 

As the Deputy is aware, the National Development Plan identifies a number of key investment priorities for the inter-urban rail network.  These include, for example, the ongoing programme of investment to protect that investment already made in the national rail system through maintenance and renewal activities, including such projects as the National Train Control Centre and the City Centre Resignalling Project.

The Infrastructure Multi Annual Manager Contract (IMMAC) is the contractual arrangement between my Department and Irish Rail for the channelling of Exchequer funds for investment in railway infrastructure, safety, asset renewal and maintenance in order to protect the quality of service and investments already made.  €160m of Exchequer funding is allocated this year to Irish Rail under the IMMAC contract.