I have to say I welcome the Tánaiste's statement that capital expenditure is not day-to-day expenditure and that we should use funds available to proceed with that. I also formally welcome the decision to proceed with the reopening of the railway line from Limerick to Foynes. That is very progressive but is it not logical to extend that line directly to the main sources of rail freight along the west coast - because that is the big justification of it - in Ballina and Westport, by reconnecting and reopening the short piece of line between Athenry and Claremorris, which would immediately then connect Ballina, Westport and all the main towns and cities of the west coast to Foynes? This should be done in the interest of regional balance and transport connectivity. Can we expect that the Government will be equally brave with that small section of line, which is even cheaper, and proceed with it immediately?

I have not seen the numbers but if they add up it would make sense to do it. We want to move freight off the roads and on to rail but we do not want to spend considerable money building a train line which is uneconomic and then requires many more subsidies. As the Deputy points out, capital is a one-off, but subsidies are not.

Thus, if we open a rail line and it can wash its face that is one thing but if we open a rail line and have to keep subsidising it every year that is a different thing. That is why the numbers would have to add up.

Can the Tánaiste show me any rail line that we do not have to subsidise every year?

That is a fair point but-----

The most heavily-subsidised rail line in this country is Dublin to Cork.

The Luas is the example - both lines.