I wish to ask about a commitment in the programme for Government to more investment in social, regional and economic infrastructure. How does this tally with the news that due to underinvestment over years, a huge proportion of the rail network will face closure unless additional investment of in excess of €460 million is made? Given the verbal commitment on the part of the Government to balanced regional development and given the occasional lipservice paid to climate change, as seen recently from the Taoiseach, will the Government make the necessary investment to develop public transport in general and the rail network in particular or is the Government instead prepared to face significant opposition from workers, unions and communities who will not accept the running down of the rail network?

I understand that report is old news. It relates to a rail review published back in 2016. As I said earlier, over the past three years there has been a 35% increase in the subvention for public transport, that is, Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, so we are now increasing the subvention for public transport again. Capital spending is increasing, fares have risen, which has helped the financial position of these companies, and because of the recovery in the economy more people are using public transport, which is bringing in more fares. As I said earlier, if we did not close any rail lines during the ten years when the subvention was being reduced and fewer people were using the railways, we will hardly do it now that the subvention is increasing, passenger numbers are increasing and fare income is rising.