Irish Rail denies trying to cut services

IRISH Rail has rejected claims it is deliberately running down some services so it will be uneconomical to re-open them.

Work will begin today to remove a junction on the western rail corridor which links Sligo and Limerick, but critics say this will effectively kill any hopes of reviving the line.

The actions come less than a week after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted no lines will be closed until a wide-ranging review of rail transport was completed.