Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport Alan Kelly has defended a rural railway line which is costing the taxpayer €550 per passenger.

An average of 73 people per day use the Limerick to Ballybrophy service, according to a new transport report.

The Tipperary North TD has campaigned strongly for the line to be kept open.

He said that people in rural Ireland are entitled to services.

“The idea that you attack rural Ireland, the idea that you take our infrastructure like this, and say to the people of Tipperary that ‘you’re not good enough for investment into the future, you’re not going to have this unique selling point again to bring people here’ is simply unacceptable,” he said.

Earlier:

A rail line in Munster which carries just 73 passengers a day, is costing the State €550 per journey, new figures have revealed.

A report from the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann shows that the line between Limerick and Ballybrophy is the most expensive in the country.

It compares to the 90 cent the State and taxpayers contribute for a journey on the DART line in Dublin.

Transport Minister Shane Ross is to bring a review of rail services to Government later today.

Cabinet will hear that major cuts may be made to the rail network if funding gaps cannot be dealt with.