Opposition parties criticise Christmas DART disruption

OPPOSITION parties have slammed the Iarnród Éireann decision to close part of the DART line over the Christmas holiday period, a move which could result in consequent road accidents, according to Sinn Féin, and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce has reacted angrily to the news that the DART line between Connolly Station and Greystones will be closed from Christmas Day until January 4.

A spokesman for the business group accused Iarnród Éireann of a lack of consultation about the closure, which he said would adversely affect January sales in the city.

Chairman of the Oireachtas Transport Committee Eoin Ryan TD said passengers and retailers would be shocked at the decision to “write-off” the Christmas period.

Iarnród Éireann said the closure was needed to allow improvements to be carried out.

However, Labour’s transport spokesperson Roisín Shortall was harshly critical of Iarnród Éireann and their PR consultants over their handling of the upgrading work. “Throughout the whole debacle they have treated the public with utter contempt. Over the past few weeks we have had a series of confused and contradictory statements about the closure of the Southside Dart line from the Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan, from Iarnród Éireann, and from the chair of the Transport Committee, Fianna Fail Deputy Eoin Ryan. Whilst all these characters attempt to pass the buck over who is responsible for the closure of Dart services at the weekend, we now have the announcement of even more disruption over Christmas.”

Sinn Féin spokesman Daithí Doolan said: “I have to question the apparent lack of foresight in this decision to knowingly suspend DART operations and lose not only the revenue to retailers in Dublin City, along the DART line, but also to Iarnród Éireann itself.

“However, the most serious aspect of this is the increase in road accidents and deaths at this time of year. It makes no sense to reduce people’s options and shutting down the DART will definitely not make our roads safer and could in fact have dangerous consequences,” said Mr Doolan.

Progressive Democrats TD Fiona O'Malley said the ten-day closure was “yet another slap in the face for Dart users who already have to endure suspension of the service every weekend from now until the middle of next year.

“I fully accept that the upgrade work is necessary, and I appreciate you cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs, but a ten-day suspension of the service seems unduly excessive, especially when one looks at overseas examples. “The New York underground had upgrading work carried out without a single train being disrupted. I fail to understand why work on the Dart cannot be carried out during the night.”

“This closure will not only impact on city centre businesses, especially during the busy season, what about the impact on tourism in the south county Dublin area,” Deputy O’Malley said.