Closures of port tunnel ‘a waste of taxpayers’ money’
While the National Roads Authority (NRA) moved to quash fears about safety standards in the tunnel at an Oireachtas committee, Fine Gael hit out over its apparent faulty operating system.
It comes just weeks after the €750 million facility was shut down for hours because of an electrical problem and follows an RTÉ documentary questioning safety procedures in the tunnel.
NRA chief executive Fred Barry admitted technical failures were due to the Scada operating system but Fine Gael asked how it could be giving problems after just 15 months.
“What sort of system is it that you’ve bought that has given you that problem,” asked the party’s transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd.
“You’ve had plenty of closures. You’ve had five as a result of this system. I find it unacceptable this is going on, it is costing taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Admitting there were technical concerns, Mr Barry said the NRA was in dispute with the port tunnel’s contractor over a number of issues but declined to go into detail.
He said the contractor had accepted blame for faulty fans and had agreed to replace 34 at about €25,000 each at its own expense.
“The Scada system is an unsatisfactory system, that is our view,” he said.
“We are in dispute with the contractor over a large number of issues.”
Safety standards at the tunnel have come under the spotlight recently after an RTÉ programme claimed operators failed to close the facility when problems with ventilation fans and cameras arose.
Asked by committee chairman Frank Fahey of Fianna Fáil if motorists were safe travelling through it, Mr Barry said: “This tunnel is one of the first tunnels in Europe to be designed, built and operated under the EU tunnel safety directive. It is ahead of other tunnels in Europe.”
Meanwhile the cost of travelling through the tunnel for car commuters could be slashed in the future. “We may see some changes in the future,” said Mr Barry.
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