Irish rail ‘unable’ to provide buses for cancelled trains

IARNRÓD EIREANN said it will not be able to make alternative travel arrangements for the thousands of rail passengers affected by the unofficial strike action by drivers.

Four buses delivered passengers from Cork and Kerry yesterday morning but the company said it would be impossible to provide buses for all trains that are cancelled.

Spokesperson, Cliodhna Ní Fhatharta said: “For the size and the level of the disruption it’s impossible for us to get buses to cater for everybody. We just can’t because there are so many trains and areas affected. We are advising people at this stage to make alternative arrangements and if their travel is unnecessary to put it off until we have services that are operating.”

She said: “It’s just so difficult because buses are tied up with school runs and things like that.”

Ms Ní Fhatharta said the company was unsure how many passengers had been affected by yesterday’s action, but said the figure is likely to be in the thousands.

She said they have “no idea” how long the dispute will last, and if it will run into the weekend when rugby fans will be travelling from Cork and Limerick to Dublin to catch flights and boats to Cardiff for the Heineken Cup final.