The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, has laboured mightily on a strategic review of the State's railway system and brought forth something of a mouse. When all the grandiose language and political aspirations are stripped away, the short term result will be a continuation of existing rail policies, with investment levels remaining largely unchanged and the focus of development fixed firmly on the Dublin commuter belt.
New regional services, with the exception of a Cork commuter link, are likely to remain aspirational for at least a decade, under the 20-year strategy that was published yesterday.
In the current economic climate, it may have been unrealistic to expect anything different. The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, had criticised as "totally unrealistic", recent plans for expensive road and rail projects that Mr Brennan had brought to Cabinet. The Minister for Transport is now attempting to reach agreement with the Department of Finance on a rail investment programme amounting to about €4 billion over ten years.
Mr Brennan has offered few hostages to fortune by identifying an increase in the frequency of mainline services and a reduction in travel times as his immediate priorities. Substantial investment in recent years under the National Development Plan has already made a difference in terms of safer, high-speed track and the provision of new rolling stock. That development process will continue and, hopefully, accelerate.
In the medium term, the Minister for Transport has spoken of separating commuter and inter-city lines between Dublin and its dormitory towns of Drogheda, Dundalk, Maynooth, Kildare and Arklow, so as to increase the frequency of services. The creation of Connolly Station as a central hub and interchange between regional and commuter services will also be examined.
While the strategic review envisages €8.5 billion being spent over 20 years, Mr Brennan cautions that this investment will require careful consideration because of Exchequer demands. And he suggested the sale of €100 million of Iarnród Éireann property, along with public/private partnership deals and development levies as alternative means of funding.
Mr Brennan appears determined to introduce greater competition into bus and rail services. Talks with CIÉ management about loss-making rail freight services will resume shortly and Mr Brennan has indicated that, in the absence of progress, the business may be opened up to third parties. As for rail investment in the Border, Midlands and West regions, those neglected communities will just have to wait.