Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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244. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the latest data his Department provided on the rail patronage on the Galway to Limerick rail line; how these statistics are collected; if they give details of the number of passengers using each section of the line; if he is aware of the findings of the study carried out in 2015 by a company (details supplied) with co-operation from Iarnród Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12291/16]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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247. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he asked the officials to quantify the amount of losses they were referring to when they informed him that the Western Rail Corridor is running at a considerable loss; the amount of the annual losses being referred to each year; if details were provided of passenger rail services that are running at a profit; the details of these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12294/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 247 together.

The Ministerial Brief prepared by my Department and which is available on my Department's website references passenger figures on the Western Rail Corridor and clearly states those figures date from 2014. The Deputy can be assured that my Department will update me as required on relevant public transport trends, to include rail patronage data, in 2015. The Report mentioned by the Deputy will be considered by Department and we will pass it on to the National Transport Authority who compile rail census statistics.

The National Transport Authority, in conjunction with Irish Rail, is currently reviewing the overall performance of the rail network having regard to the PSO subvention paid to Irish Rail for the operation of services.  As part of this, data on route costings is being updated in the context of assessing the value for money of the subvention paid and the impact on Irish Rail's finances.  I expect shortly to receive the outcome of the NTA work when it is completed.  

As the Deputy is aware, the new Programme for Government includes a commitment to provide for an independent costing and review of a proposal to extend the Western Rail Corridor by linking Athenry and Claremorris. In the coming weeks I will be considering how best to progress this commitment.