I wish to raise the issue of the threat of the possible closure of passenger rail lines across the country. The matter may have been raised yesterday. My understanding is that Irish Rail has commissioned a report into the funding of rail services in Ireland. According to a report in yesteday's Irish Independent, in the worst-case scenario, intercity services to Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford would be axed and services to all other cities and communities on the line, which include large towns like Athlone, Westport, Ballina, Longford, Roscommon and Carlow, would cease.

Rail infrastructure is crucial to any modern economy. The Minister should be planning proactively to ensure that there is no threat to vital lines of transport. Decisions on what lines to keep and which ones to close cannot be measured in terms of profitability alone, but must take into account the social and economic spin-off that having a rail service confers on the town. No Irish Rail services make a profit, but that is not unusual as rail services across the world run at a loss and require subvention. I also understand that the scenario outlined is the worst-case one, but I would like the Minister to come to the House to outline what he considers would be the likely scenario and how that would be funded. I want to know that the Minister has a plan and that he can deliver.

In essence, I want the Minister to give assurances to the people of Athlone and the surrounding areas that there will be no risk to their rail service. If looking after services in my area makes me parochial, then so be it. I am guilty. Infrastructure such as rail services cannot be left to chance. We cannot stand back and wait to see what happens. The Minister must deal with this now. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come to the House and let us know what case he is making for towns like Athlone so that we know we are as important to the Minister as Dublin and Cork. After all, I have not managed to make Athlone into a city yet but I am working on it.

I agree with Senators McFadden and Mac Lochlainn. Her contribution comes at a crucial time. The draft national development plan 2040 provides for a possible €115 billion in spending. Without knowing the outcome of Brexit, it is premature. It is very difficult to make recommendations up to 2040 without knowing whether there will be a hard or soft border. That will affect the investment required to compensate for the outcome of the Brexit negotiations. Quite frankly, trying to exclude cities like Derry, Letterkenny and Sligo and the west coast and ignoring the effect of Brexit on Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and elsewhere does not make sense. The issue should be considered very carefully, bearing in mind what is happening.

Ireland West Airport in Knock is a modern structure and attracts over 1 million customers a year. The surrounding areas have the potential for growth, feeding into the airport. A tax-free zone around the airport would attract industry. Depending on the outcome of Brexit, it would be in the best interests of UK companies to relocate part of their operations to the region in order to ensure connectivity with Britain through Knock airport, which has regular flights to London and elsewhere. It makes sense for them to be located within the European Union and they would benefit from exports to 500 million people. In turn, there are many opportunities for public companies to locate part of their plants elsewhere given the situation. This is all unknown.

Some time ago a point was made about a previous development plan. The need for gateway towns and cities was discussed and virtually ignored. In Roscommon we were lucky to have two decentralisation projects, namely, the General Register Office, which registers deaths, births and marriages, and the register of properties. Both offices have brought economic benefit to County Roscommon and Roscommon town, in particular. Some people knock decentralisation, but it was and is a good policy provided it is carried out in the proper manner. It was done properly in Roscommon. Towns in the region, including Sligo, Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon and Letterkenny all benefitted from decentralisation. People should not knock something which worked. I do not know who is behind the framework. I understand it was drawn up before any submissions were received.