Taoiseach denies rail services will be closed while Fianna Fáil accuses Govt of being 'Dublin-centric'
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says no rail services are to be closed.
There are reports that intercity services may be cut as substantial investment would be needed to retain current services.
Irish Rail has admitted none of its routes make a profit.
However, in the Dáil the Taoiseach said they did not cut services during the recession and have no plans to do so with a recovering economy.
He said: "We didn't close any rail lines in rural Ireland or any part of Ireland during the recession, so you can be absolutely sure that - now we are in a position to invest in our railways again, to increase subvention to Iarnrod Eireann, subvention has increased by 35% in three years - you can be absolutely sure that having got through the worst recession in a generation without closing any railways, we are certainly not going to start doing it now."
The Taoiseach has also been accused of running a Dublin-centric government and talking down to people in rural Ireland.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said there has been no progress on rural broadband and he raised concerns over the National Planning Framework.
Deputy Martin said Leo Varadkar needs to take greater account of areas beyond the M50.
He said: "Those who advocate for rural Ireland don't talk it down. Most of them are self-reliant, they want the best for their towns, their villages and their rural areas.
"They don't like being talked down to by your good self, they don't like lecturing from a Dublin-centric government.
"But what they would like is genuine delivery in terms of existing projects."
