258 Mr. Reynolds asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he approved a capital application to CIE to allow new passenger carriages to be provided for the Dublin-Sligo line. [1914/96]

Under the Operational Programme for Transport 1994-99, an EU co-financed investment programme of up to IR£60 million will be undertaken on mainline rail rolling stock. In addition, a further IR£65 million approximately of uncofinanced investment on rolling stock is proposed over the same period, subject to the resources available to CIE. Decisions on distribution of available resources will be made in due course, having regard to the requirements and priorities of the rail network.