‘Chaos’ if rail routes are put out to tender

Trade unions at Iarnród Éireann are warning of “industrial relations chaos” if the Government has to accede to European Commission demands for the opening up of the country’s rail routes to tender.

At present Ireland is among a number of small European countries which directly awards public contracts for rail services. Iarnród Éireann is awarded 10-year long contracts to operate services here but the current contract is due to end in 2019. The fourth Railway Package, which the European Commission wants to bring in and which was announced at the start of 2013, would involve:

• the opening of the domestic passenger markets to competition by granting open access rights to all EU railway undertakings;
• to introduce mandatory tendering for public service contracts.