Rail closure claims rejected by Iarnród Éireann; Taoiseach rules out rail lines being axed

Iarnród Éireann has dismissed media reports claiming a significant number of its routes are facing the axe — but has identified four lines at risk of closure due to funding shortfalls.

A newspaper had reported that InterCity services to Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Kerry, Waterford and Wexford were facing closure due to a funding shortfall, but Irish Rail yesterday denied this.

“There are absolutely no plans or consideration being given to curtailing routes in a wholesale fashion as suggested in the newspaper,” said Barry Kenny, corporate communications manager at Iarnród Éireann.

He said the reports were based on a funding gap of about €100m per annum which existed in the past, and which was identified by the National Transport Authority/Iarnród Éireann Rail Review published in October 2016.

“However, there has been a significant improvement in funding in 2017 and 2018, with a funding gap down to €42.8m for 2018,” he said. “The policy decisions therefore to be made by the minister for transport with the NTA arising from the Rail Review relate to the remaining funding shortfall, and are only considering the future of four lightly used lines identified in the Rail Review: Limerick to Ballybrophy, Limerick Junction to Waterford, Ennis to Athenry, and Gorey to Rosslare.

“Iarnród Éireann will continue to operate the network it is contracted to provide, and looks forward to completing the process to ensure a sustainable financial future for our rail network and service which has progressed over recent years.”

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Timmy Dooley warned the Government against focussing investment too centrally on the capital.

“The message for Minister Ross is that if you have key infrastructure and people living effectively in those rural areas, they require a level of service,” he said.

“And it’s appropriate and right that you would investment in rail services in the west of Ireland in the same way you would want the Government to invest in the Luas and the DART and those services here in the city. People outside the east coast do expect to see an increased investment in their public transport services.”

Meanwhile, the National Bus and Rail Union will attend the Workplace Relations Commission next week for talks with Iarnród Éireann over changes to drivers’ terms and conditions.

“We will, as previously indicated, continue with our ballot of train drivers for all-out strike action should the company move ahead with its stated intention of forcing those changes,” the union warned.

“There is an onus on both parties, with the assistance of the WRC, to come to table with an express desire to resolve our differences in order to prevent what would undoubtedly transpire to be a severely debilitating strike which will drag Iarnrod Éireann and its employees into disrepute, and create massive disruption for those that rely on rail for their travel plans,” it said.

Varadkar: We’re not closing railways

By Juno McEnroe

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has ruled out rail lines being axed as he faced accusations of failing to deliver on promises for rural Ireland.

A range of schemes and funds for rural Ireland had been reduced or delayed, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin claimed in the Dáil.

Leo Varadkar

The Government is facing mounting questions about its 20-year plan for rural development, warnings about loss-making rail links and the recent setback for the National Broadband Plan.

A newspaper report claimed crucial rural rail routes will be axed unless Irish Rail gets a €460m rescue package. However, Mr Varadkar pledged that with the economy in recovery, no routes would go.

“In the past 10 years, much of which was a very difficult period of budget cutbacks, we did not close any railway lines in rural Ireland or any other part of Ireland.

“Now that we are in a position to invest in our railways again and to increase Iarnród Éireann’s subvention, which has increased by 35% in three years, Deputies can be absolutely assured that having got through the worst recession in a generation without closing any railways, we are certainly not going to start doing it now.”

Mr Martin though also claimed the Leader programme, which funds local rural schemes, had been reduced.

Furthermore, he suggested this was done so that government party TDs and ministers could instead release the funds for their own benefit. Projects had been “snarled” in delays, he added.

Mr Martin argued that the this had been started by the previous Fine Gael-led government, which had “undermined and arguably destroyed a very good model for rural development” in the form of the Leader programme. “I say very calmly that we are now in 2018 and we have spent just €13m of the €250m budget that was provided for a programme that lasts from 2014 to 2020,” he added.

The Taoiseach conceded there had been an underspend there but also said 32 changes were made to the rural funds to make them easier to distribute.

But when it came to rural Ireland, responded Mr Martin, rural Ireland had been left behind.

“It is important to point out that, as the public knows, there is a huge gap between the promises and commitments and the actual delivery of them on the ground.”

The Taoiseach strongly disagreed, saying that 80% of jobs created in in the last quarter were outside Dublin. Furthermore, Mr Varadkar told the Dáil significant transport and tourism investment outside Dublin was satisfying rural communities.

“The biggest single transport investment in the last two years was the Gort to Tuam motorway, costing €550m. The biggest single transport investment in the last two years was in the West of Ireland, helping us to connect together Galway and Limerick and we will connect Limerick to Cork in due course.

“The Deputies will know about the investment in projects such as greenways around the country and the Wild Atlantic Way.”