Hundreds of north Dublin commuters will continue travelling by bus instead of train despite the Malahide viaduct reopening tomorrow, it was claimed today.

The number of cross-border travellers using rail services between Belfast and Dublin has plummeted since the collapse of the Malahide viaduct in August.

Rail chiefs were today accused of playing with thousands of people’s lives by not closing a busy rail line when safety concerns were raised five days before it collapsed into the sea.

The chairman of CIE is due to be questioned about the collapse of the rail viaduct in the Malahide area of Dublin when he appears before the Oireachtas Transport Committee today.

Rail chiefs are on track to re-open one of Ireland’s busiest lines within the coming weeks following the near catastrophic collapse of a bridge into the sea, they said today.

Work to pave the way for the reconstruction of the railway viaduct which collapsed into the sea a week ago began today.

A railway viaduct which collapsed into the sea was due to undergo a full bridge inspection in October, it emerged tonight.

A special group has been set up to help minimise the disruption caused by the collapse of the rail viaduct in the Malahide area of north Dublin last week.

Iarnród Éireann has confirmed that a member of the public reported a possible problem with erosion at the rail viaduct in Malahide four days before it collapsed last week.

Northern Ireland Rail says it believes it could be six months before the rail line between Belfast and Dublin will be operational again.

Seabed erosion is suspected of being behind the collapse of a railway viaduct on one of the country’s busiest lines, it was revealed today.

Thousands of commuters in Louth and north Dublin are facing major disruption today and for the coming months following the collapse of part of the main rail line to Belfast on Friday.

The collapse of part of the main Dublin to Belfast line has prompted calls for a major nationwide review of rail safety.

Concern is being expressed that sufficient contingency plans for rail users may not be in place by tomorrow following the collapse of part of the Belfast to Dublin train line.

A hero train driver tonight revealed his terror after averting a major catastrophe when a railway viaduct on one of Ireland’s busiest lines collapsed into the sea.

Iarnród Éireann has said rail passengers are facing three months of disruption to services on the main Dublin to Belfast line after part of it collapsed.

Investigations on the Dublin-Belfast rail line are to continue today after the collapse of a 20-metre section of the viaduct across Malahide estuary last night.