Picket halts work on rail track

CONSTRUCTION of the largest commuter railway project outside of Dublin has been put in jeopardy by an unofficial picket that is preventing Iarnród Éireann from laying the track.

More than a dozen members of the company’s line inspection staff have mounted the picket on the Cork-Midleton line, which is due to open next spring at a cost of €105 million.

Earlier this month, the rail workers went to the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) claiming it was their job to lay the track. However, the LRC decided the work should be carried out by the appointed contractor and staff at Iarnród Éireann’s new works’ department.