Deputy Collins was in possession and has ten minutes.
Rail Safety Report: Statements (Resumed).
There is hardly an issue that inspires such widespread unanimity across this Chamber than the need for greater safety on our national transport networks, in particular, the railways, the report on the safety on which has been recently published.
Before looking in detail at the recommendations of this report, I will look briefly at the background to the drafting of such a composite study. Following the derailment of a passenger train at Knockcroghery in November 1997, the Government commissioned an independent review into all aspects of railway safety. The study, de facto, was to analyse the safety record and operations primarily of Iarnród Éireann which is a State company charged with responsibility for the nation's railway system. It operates a range of passenger and freight services and is responsible for the renewal and maintenance of the railway infrastructures such as track signalling and level crossing services. It also operates a passenger rail service jointly with Northern Ireland Railways and operates rail freight services into Northern Ireland.
The overall objective of the study was to determine whether the risks posed to passengers, staff and members of the public arising from the national railway system are currently acceptable and to identify the principal options for addressing unreasonable risks and to estimate the broad cost of safety improvements.
Accordingly, in April 1998, International Risk Management Services, in association with its partner consultants, were appointed to conduct a railway safety study of the Irish national railway network. The principal elements of the study included: a review of the initial information provided by Iarnród Éireann on railway operations; determination of the benchmarks to be used during the review in assessing the safety performance of the railway, taking into account the best practise of other railway operators world-wide, and consideration of Iarnród Éireann's safety performance through analysis of safety statistics covering the last five years of operations.
The report states that a high proportion of facilities such as signalling, telecommunications and level crossings are in poor condition and that much of the signalling is in need of repair. A number of level crossings have inadequate train braking distances and signalling overlaps and much of the equipment is in a poor state of repair.
The consultants also carried out a risk assessment into the whole area of train accidents. The conclusion of the assessment is that a carefully targeted total expenditure of £225 million could be justified on safety grounds alone. Such expenditure would reduce current risk levels by 50 per cent on our national railway system over a 30 year period.
It has been noted in the report that the risk on a line where the infrastructure is in generally good condition, but where there is a very regular service at high speed, may exceed that for a line where infrastructure is in poor condition, but with only an infrequent service operating at low speeds.
I will now turn to the issue of the adequacy or otherwise of safety. Questionnaires were issued to all the staff working at Iarnród Éireann seeking their opinion with regard to safety procedures in operation. There was a wide variation in the scoring of different aspects within the audit. For example, the score in safety policy and procedures was quite high, while the score for the training and development of the staff was quite low. This shows that certain areas of safety management at Iarnród Éireann require more urgent attention than others.
A picture has certainly emerged in the minds of the consultants that Iarnród Éireann is an organisation that has learned much in the recent past about the best international safety manage-ment practices that are needed, but there is little sign that this is being translated on the ground into a strong safety culture across the organisation.
Senior management appear to have a strong commitment to safety, but this has yet to be reflected in a corresponding improvement in the working conditions at ground level. Implementation of the safety system relies on the co-operation of everyone in the company. Therefore, much needs to be done to address staff morale in order that staff, supervisors and middle manage-ment can believe in the commitment of senior management and develop the motivation to put these safety systems in place. Staff need to see the evidence of this commitment within their own workplace.
The consultants have estimated that a 15-year safety investment programme needs to be implemented. Overall expenditure includes about £230 million for a programme of improvements to rectify safety deficiencies in the railway infrastructure to include track, signalling bridges and level crossings About £60 million is earmarked for the improved management of infrastructural safety measures. The consultants suggested the expenditure of a further £60 million to improve safety management systems generally throughout the rail network and £20 million per annum over a 15-year period on the renewal of the permanent way. About £23 million of the figure of £590 million needs to be spent immediately. The Government is committed to spending a minimum of £26 million on upgrading the mainline rail network between now and the year 2000. This is separate from the amount to be spent by Iarnród Éireann over this period.
I support the allocation of greater financial resources to ensure the implementation of the report's recommendations within the specified timeframe. I commend the Minister for responding positively to them. Last week she announced that CIE is to begin implementing the recommendations at once, giving particular attention to the immediate safety needs identified by the consultants.
As recommended, a high level task force comprising officials of the Departments of Public Enterprise and Finance and CIE is being established which will report to Government by the end of January with prioritised recommendations to address the issues identified in the consultancy review. Pending consideration by Government of the task force report, CIE is to be authorised to undertake borrowing to finance the implementation of safety measures. The recruitment of two additional railway inspecting officers in the Department of Public Enterprise will begin immediately. A regular safety progress audit will be submitted to the Minister and published.
The Minister intends to participate in a number of regional workshops at which the findings of the review will be presented to Iarnród Éireann staff at all levels. This will ensure they will have an opportunity to express their views directly to the Government on all aspects of rail safety. This is a first step in bringing together the board of CIE, Iarnród Éireann management, the trade unions and every member of staff, with a sense of urgency and common purpose, to fully implement the consultants recommendations.
The report produced by International Risk Management Services is professional and far-reaching. While it is critical in part of some aspects of rail safety policies, its conclusions should not be forgotten. It states that Iarnród Éireann provides a safe service with a level of reportable accidents and casualties comparable to that on any other rail network in Europe. In recent years, however, there has been a shortfall in investment which is now impacting on safety. The reliance of Iarnród Éireann on the skill and experience of individual staff members is being undermined as the older generation retire or leave as a result of company downsizing.
The recommendations of the infrastructure safety adequacy review group and the safety management systems audit must be implemented in their entirety. I commend the Minister for commissioning what is a much needed report on the safety of the rail network and for reacting swiftly to implement its recommendations.
(Mayo): The train is my preferred mode of transport but I do not use it any longer.
I availed of the service on the Dublin-Ballina-Westport line for many years. If people are to avail of a service, there should be certain minimum guarantees. The train should leave and arrive on time, and people should be assured of a seat and be able to travel in safety. On the line mentioned one cannot be guaranteed that the train will leave on time. Because of speed restrictions and other unforeseen circumstances, it invariably arrives in Dublin 30 to 45 minutes late. People cannot be guaranteed that they will arrive on time for a hospital appointment, to catch a bus to Dublin airport to catch a vital flight or for a sitting of the Dáil. It is no longer practical to use the train much as one would like to use it. There are thousands of commuters in that position. One can quote anecdotes until the cows come home but this is the daily reality.
Last Friday the 4.38 p.m. service from Heuston Station to Westport left 20 minutes late, there was no tannoy, no trolley service, no heating and the lights flickered on and off. The train was delayed in Portarlington and Castlerea and arrived in Ballyhaunis 45 minutes late. To establish progress one had to read the signs in the stations along the route having cleared the condensation off the window. This is not an acceptable standard of service.
Heuston Station on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening is something to behold. A huge crowd builds up 45 minutes before the departure of the 6.5 p.m. service. Their tickets are checked and they queue. About ten minutes before the specified time of departure the charge of the light brigade begins and it is survival of the fittest. I have seen passengers pushed and jostled. I have seen passengers hobble along the platform having undergone a hip replacement operation at Cappagh Hospital. I have seen elderly persons stand throughout the entire journey to the west. To be guaranteed a seat one has to be first in the queue. Passengers cannot get to the toilet because the aisles are so crowded. It is a recipe for disaster. It is more like downtown Calcutta than a train service to Castlebar.
A decision was taken about ten years ago to allow the line become derelict to the point where it would have to be abandoned. The most crucial decision, however, was taken in 1994 when the former Taoiseach, Deputy Albert Reynolds, returned from Brussels with the pot of gold which was found to contain £6 billion, not £8 billion, and it was stated that there would be a massive enhancement programme across a range of areas. I do not know what the rationale was but when the national development plan was submitted to the European Commission only two rail lines were excluded — the Dublin-Ballina-Westport and Rosslare lines. There was a sop and a promise.
The national plan stated that a further pro-gramme of co-financed investment involving expenditure of an additional £90 million approximately, subject to resources being made available to CIE, would be implemented to upgrade and develop a number of other rail links, including the Dublin-Westport-Ballina and Dublin Rosslare lines. Obviously, the resources were not made available. In one of the CIE documents, a CIE executive said: "I regret the resources were not made available to CIE to upgrade and to develop these lines".
Insult was added to injury when in 1996 the Cohesion Funds unit of the EU Commission engaged Goodbody economic consultants to review possible railway upgrading projects for Cohesion Fund assistance. This was the mid-term review. Goodbody was instructed to confine its analysis to the Galway, Sligo, Tralee, Waterford and Rosslare lines. Rosslare, which was not included in 1994, was now included. I have no problem with all the lines in the country being included, but this meant segregation and discrimination was reinforced further. It now happens that the only line not included for co-financing from Cohesion Funds is the Dublin-Westport-Ballina line. When the money for Luas became available because the project was not ready, this was the only line which did not qualify.
It is now in a sorry state. There are 86 miles of old, jointed track, some of it dating back to the 19th century. The sleepers are made of timber, some of which are acknowledged by CIE to be 70 years old. There is a spate of speed restrictions varying from 25 to 70 miles per hour. At times the trains slow to a speed scarcely faster than that of a tractor. Such a situation is a potential hazard or death trap. If the condition of the lines are such as acknowledged by CIE, Iarnród Éireann and the two reports — tracks almost 100 years old and sleepers 70 years old resulting in speed restrictions of 25 miles an hour — that is a recipe for disaster.
The £23 million being made available by the Minister is inadequate to provide the necessary upgrading on this line alone. Massive investment is urgently needed. I took comfort from a letter received from the chief executive of Iarnród Éireann, Mr. Maher, in which he stated in the clearest possible terms that we cannot afford to wait until the next round of EU funding to begin substantial investment on the Westport line. He said consultants recently engaged to review the safety of the railway infrastructure stated clearly that investment was urgently required to upgrade the infrastructure on the line. He also said they recently submitted a comprehensive and essential safety investment programme to the Minister for Public Enterprise seeking Exchequer support for railway investment.
I believe in investment in the railway structure. I wish the Minister well because she will have a tough battle at Cabinet. From the point of view of the environment, an efficient transport service and disentangling the gridlock, investment in the structure makes absolute sense. There is huge commuter support for the rail service. It could be viable but will not be so until such time as certain minimum guarantees are set down, so that trains will leave and arrive on time and people will be assured of a seat and of arriving safely. Unfortunately, these standards do not apply, not only on the line of which I speak but on most others. I hope as a result of the Minister's efforts at Cabinet, she will ensure the finance, which is imperative for upgrading the transport service as we approach the next century and millennium, will be made available as a matter of urgency.
I welcome the opportunity to contribute on the important subject of the review of rail safety. I congratulate the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, on commissioning the report. As she stated, rail safety is not just her business but everyone's. Railways play an important part in our lives. They are the livelihood of many rural areas.
The report was undertaken by a consultancy team led by International Risk Management Services. The commissioning of the independent study was supported by the Opposition and welcomed in the Dáil last December. I thank the Minister for sending copies of the consultants' report to Members of this House and of Seanad Éireann following its publication. I also welcome the fact that she will send copies of the report to every worker in Iarnród Éireann.
The report is very detailed. The consultants in their conclusions state: "It is important to acknowledge that Iarnród Éireann's safety performance over the years compares well with other national railway systems". The good safety record of our railways is due in large measure to the skill and experience of railway staff over the years. This has also been acknowledged by the consultants. However, they point out that there is a need for significant improvement in the safety of railways.
The last major railway accident in Ireland was in 1983 at Cherryville when seven people died. However, since this, a number of near misses with derailments have occurred. We must now take every precaution to avoid accidents. I will highlight the situation on the Tralee to Mallow line, especially the line from Tralee to Killarney. I was a passenger on the 7.30 a.m. train from Tralee on Tuesday, 18 November 1997. A major accident was avoided due to the efficiency and expertise of the driver, Billy Irwin, in the way he brought the engine to a halt in a matter of seconds following a landslide. I have already thanked him and the other staff on the train. I also thanked the workers of Iarnród Éireann for their expertise in piping a drain at the side of the train and erecting a road across it to enable passengers, many of whom were very frightened, to disembark. I have spoken with the Minister on the condition of the line, and she has also received a deputation from Tralee Urban District Council highlighting the situation. While funding has been provided for the Killarney to Mallow line, no funding has yet been provided for the Tralee to Killarney line. Even at this late stage, I appeal to the Minister to make the necessary funding available which I understand is in the region of £10 million. I also understand that the Tralee to Mallow line is one of the profitable lines for Iarnród Éireann. As Kerry is a major tourism county, it is fundamental to the future development of tourism and industrial development within Kerry that the Tralee to Mallow line is upgraded sooner rather than later.
Thirty five people died in rail accidents between 1955 and 1983, and it is because of a series of incidents and near misses in recent years that the current report was commissioned. Given recent derailments, serious concerns have been expressed. The report pinpoints the outdated nature of the signalling system on our rundown rail network as the most likely cause of an accident. The review states that, while our railways have been historically safe, a shortfall in recent years has not impacted on safety. The reliance, skill and expertise of individual staff members was being undermined as many of the older generation left the service through retirement.
The independent consultants' report has highlighted the massive underfunding of the rail network resulting in major safety implications for the travelling public. The report contains a number of alarming findings. These include serious faults in the signalling system and some tracks in very poor condition. That certainly applies to the Tralee to Killarney line. The consultants acknowledge that the condition of much of the track and structures is poor, while the condition of rolling stock is on the whole satisfactory. The most serious shortcoming was the lack of a systematic approach to identifying safety hazards, deciding on priority and implementing remedial action. While an encouraging start has been made at senior management level on introducing a systematic approach to addressing safety on the railway, the consultants emphasised the importance of instilling a safety culture throughout the organisation.
The consultants recommended that £590 million should be spent over the next 15 years, and that £230 million of this sum should be spent on tackling safety deficiencies. It is estimated that if this sum is spent on safety measures, risk levels to the travelling public could be reduced by 50 per cent over a 30 year period. Approximately £60 million is required to improve safety manage-ment systems and £20 million per year over 15 years for ongoing renewal of the permanent way.
The Minister for Public Enterprise responded quickly to the report. She announced that, following her meeting with the CIE board — directly following the publication of the consultants' report — she gave them permission to borrow £23 million towards the cost of tackling safety issues.
As recommended in the report, a high level task force comprising officials of the Departments of Public Enterprise and Finance and CIE is being established. The task force will report to the Government by the end of January with priority recommendations to address the issues identified in the consultancy review. Pending consideration of the task force report by the Government, CIE has to be authorised to undertake borrowings to finance the putting in train of safety measures.
The recruitment process for two additional railway inspecting officers in the Department of Public Enterprise will begin immediately. I was alarmed to discover there was only one inspector responsible for rail safety throughout the country.
The consultants' report stressed the need to create a safety culture that pervades Iarnród Éireann. They have made it abundantly clear that safety related investment in the railway infrastructure, while essential, will not be enough. The public wants them to tackle the management aspects of safety also.
I welcome the Minister's statement that it is her intention to participate in a number of regional workshops at which the findings of the review will be presented to Iarnród Éireann staff at all levels. The staff, who give a tremendous service, are concerned also and these workshops will give them an opportunity to put forward their views on all aspects of rail safety.
The issue of rail safety should not be made a political football by parties who were in Government in recent years but who achieved nothing on this issue. It is ironic that Deputy Yates is now stressing the importance of investment in rail. Frustrated rail commuters should not forget that Fine Gael in Government was responsible for inflicting a major blow on the rail system from which we are now only beginning to recover. That was done under the 1984 Government plan, Building on Reality. In that plan Fine Gael stated that a package of retrenchment measures would be implemented on the passenger rail side which meant there would not be any new substantial investment in railways.
Fine Gael has little credibility on this issue. All the improvements in the rail system, and in particular all the decisions on new investment with European aid, have taken place under Fianna Fáil Governments since 1987.
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the future of our railway system. This debate is long overdue and is one I have called for frequently, but to no avail. I also welcome the report commissioned by Minister O'Rourke but there is little new information contained therein.
More reports have been commissioned on Irish Rail than on any other body. The Minister's office could be papered ten times over with the various reports produced on Irish Rail. We had two McKinsey reports; in 1992 we had a report from the Departments of Finance and Transport, Energy and Communications and earlier this year a report was commissioned by Irish Rail.
Options were put forward in the 1992 report regarding a total closure of the rail network, having a spinal network or retaining the full network. The final recommendation, supported by a thorough cost benefit analysis, was that the mainline network should be retained and developed not only with EU grant assistance but also with Exchequer funding.
What does the latest report tell us that we did not already know? The average age of the locomotive fleet is 23 years — 54 per cent of locomotives are between 33 and 37 years old. The existing carriage fleet has an average age of 16 years and 30 per cent of carriages have an average age of 39 years. Apart from the Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Limerick and Galway routes, the rest of the track consists of old jointed track and timber sleepers. In some cases, these are over 70 years old. A telling factor is that there are nearly 260 miles of inter-city network with this permanent way structure.
In a recent report to the Select Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport, Mr. Michael McDonnell, chief executive of CIE, confirmed that the Rosslare and Westport lines and all the branch lines throughout the country operate by means of mechanical signalling systems. In regard to level crossings, the company outlined that a major upgrading programme is required to improve safety levels at the 2,200 level crossings throughout the country. All this information is well known and has been furnished to the Department by Irish Rail, yet fundamental decisions have not been taken. That scandal has been allowed to develop.
Following the publication of the report media headlines predicted fatal rail accidents. I want to put those headlines into perspective. In terms of travel related accidents and excluding cyclists, pedestrians and motor cyclists, travelling by train is more than ten times safer than travelling by car. It is important to state that.
Given the inadequacies of the infrastructure of our rail network over the years, full recognition must be given to the staff and management of Irish Rail for their trojan efforts. The safety record of Irish Rail is more than comparable to any other rail service in Europe. We must all hope that this level of achievement can continue to be maintained, particularly until the pro-gramme of infrastructure upgrading is carried out.
I am aware of the Minister's commitment but I wonder if the Government is committed to the rail network. Is it prepared to finance a quality service to towns like Sligo, Westport, Ballina, Kilkenny and Waterford? If so, the Government must be prepared to make significant investment in the railways. A policy of non-investment almost brought the railways to a close in the early 1990s. This was due to a lack of Exchequer investment and of EU Structural and Cohesion Funds particularly in the period 1989-93. It has been the policy of consecutive Governments to respond to the traffic crisis by pumping money into the roads system rather than public transport and the rail network. It was due to the submissions made for the 1994-9 round of EU funding — in which the Labour Party had a significant input — that a major investment package was secured which has helped save the railways.
For many years in this House I raised the need for investment in the rail network. On many occasions I received a hostile reception from Members who repeatedly referred to the £90 million annual subvention to CIE. It was obvious that these Deputies were unaware of the real facts. Is it known that out of that £90 million, Irish Rail must carry approximately £50 million per annum for infrastructural costs? Compare this to the road infrastructure, which is funded completely by the Exchequer. I ask the Minister of State to bring to the Minister's attention my recommendation that the operational costs and infrastructural costs of the CIE group of companies be separated.
For motorists in the greater Dublin area the gridlock situation has become part of the daily routine and will become even worse because of the record number of new cars purchased this year. The alternative must be a reliable, high quality public transport service. The inadequate number of trains serving the towns of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Donabate, Malahide and Portmarnock in my own constituency is a matter of grave concern to me and an issue which causes great anger among my constituents. Additional carriages are necessary and are economically justified on the outer suburban corridor in Dublin. Action is required now.
The Government's response to this report is totally inadequate. The £23 million committed for next year is merely an undertaking to guarantee borrowing by the company itself. The Government's proposal to phase the investment over a 15-year period is totally unjustified, particularly in light of the safety factors highlighted in this and other reports. For example, level crossings are being used in a very unsafe manner. I wish the Minister well in her efforts to secure the necessary funding to ensure rail safety. She has the opportunity to put her mark on public transport by providing the finance for an adequate infrastructure. On economic and environmental grounds, I hope this opportunity is taken and the right thing is done. I look forward to debating this question again when the Minister's so called inner cabinet discusses this report.
I congratulate the Minister on this full review of safety in the rail network. Her prompt action has brought about this report which, I hope, will bring great improvements in rail safety. The Government is fully committed to rail safety and Deputy Ryan can be assured that he will see changes within the next few years.
Let us hope it will not take 15 years.
In this year's Estimates, £56 million has been allocated for investment in public transport. For the first time the Exchequer has provided direct capital funding for public transport. Between now and the end of the year 2000, a total of £115 million of public funds will be spent on public transport and the railways. CIE will also spend considerably from the company's own resources. This money will be spent on carriages, rail cars and on improvements to railway stations and rail tracks.
I am glad the Government has provided funding for the upgrading of the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon line. This line will be provided with continuous welded track which will vastly improve the level of safety and efficiency. Heretofore, the Dublin to Sligo line had the worst rolling stock and track and the least efficient service of any line in the country. Thankfully, this is now changing and I can mention one significant improvement. A return ticket from Sligo to Dublin cost more 17 years ago than it does today and this price reduction has led to an increase in passenger numbers on the line. The proposed investment will allow an improvement in rolling stock and the provision of automatic signalling on the line and we can look forward to a much better service to and from the north west. The line serves the midlands as well as the north west. In the Minister's own constituency, a train leaves Mullingar every morning and reaches Dublin in one hour. It brings students to Maynooth and workers to many towns along the line. It is a step in the right direction.
Many years ago, a decision was taken to close railway lines and tracks were taken up. There is now no railway line whatever in County Donegal. This is a great pity. Many of these lines would be attractive to tourists. The narrow gauge line would have been a wonderful tourist attraction in lovely Leitrim. While on holidays in north Wales some years ago, I saw the benefit of the narrow gauge line which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to Snowdonia every year. We once had a lovely railway station in Tubbercurry on the Claremorris to Collooney line. I am glad the Minister has deferred the decision to take up this line because too many rushed decisions were made in the past. The first train I ever travelled on ran on this line and I hope that it and other small lines will be allowed to remain. Perhaps in years to come a use will be found for them.
I sometimes wonder whether people living in County Dublin appreciate the level of service and comfort provided by the DART in comparison to the London underground, the Paris metro or the New York subway. Anyone living within one mile of the DART should not bring a car into Dublin as cars are choking the city. The DART provides a great service. Trains now run from Maynooth and Drogheda to Dublin. Dublin would not be choked by traffic if there were more trains and a better service.
I have travelled on trains throughout the world and the standards in Ireland, particularly on the Dublin-Cork line, compare favourably to those in any part of the world. This is not necessarily the Minister's responsibility, but CIE must provide a better service from rural areas to Dublin. Except on Mondays, the earliest service from Sligo to Dublin leaves at 7.45 a.m. and arrives at 11.00 a.m. However, this arrival time is too late for anyone attending hospitals or meetings. It also means that one cannot be in the airport in time to get a flight to the US. The train should arrive in Dublin no later than 10.00 a.m. This is not the Minister's responsibility but the matter should be raised with CIE.
I am happy with this report and it will be very beneficial if implemented. I congratulate the Minister. She will be remembered as one of the best Ministers. When this report is implemented and the funds are available we will have a better and safer rail service. Public transport, particularly trains, are the safest way to travel. I often use trains, particularly if travelling to Dublin for a football match. People should come by train as they will get home in good time. This is not the case if one travels by car. I wish the Minister well in implementing this report.
I welcome this report but I hope it is the last report we see concerning the rail service. We now want action. We are fed up with reports, task forces and consultants making money out of Iarnród Éireann while services get worse. The Minister will have my support provided she can deliver funding for the rail service.
My family has long associations with the rail service. My uncle worked for CIE for 43 years. He owns the Railway Tavern in Westport but CIE was not very loyal to him when it was selling land. It was a tradition for CIE to sell land to its friends. However, on this occasion the sale was not advertised. The land was bought but not paid for and the deal was not completed. We were assured the land would be put up for public tender but this has not happened. I am asking the Minister to investigate this matter again. I have written to the Department and the Minister about this in the past. The chairman, Mr. McDonnell, told me he would deal with this problem. I will raise the matter on the Adjournment if I do not get satisfactory answers. How can people be sold land by a semi-State company without it being advertised or without paying money? Perhaps this explains why CIE and Iarnród Éireann have no money and cannot run services.
As regards the Westport line, the people of the west are fed up with the secondhand service, secondhand line and secondhand carriages. Previous Governments failed to allocate the necessary funding to improve this line. When the national plan was drawn up in 1993, the Rosslare and the Westport-Ballina-Dublin lines were the only two lines not included in the review or for EU funding. In 1996, Goodbodys was well paid by Iarnród Éireann to assess the state of the lines, but were told not to investigate the Westport line. This indicates the attitude of Governments to this line.
There was a recent accident and Iarnród Éireann got away with a warning. Luckily there was no loss of life although there was some injuries. It was a needed warning. The Government has this report. I compliment the Minister on publishing it and prioritising the securing of funds. However, we will judge that commitment by the amount of funding made available for the Westport-Dublin line in the budget. If that funding is put in place I will be the first to congratulate the Minister.
A constituent of mine used the Westport-Dublin line yesterday and was 20 minutes late arriving. My daughter used the line this morning but she had still not arrived when I came into the House. The train should have arrived at 11.15 a.m. but I suppose there will be another 20 minute delay. This is not good enough. People paying for a service are entitled to travel safely, in comfort and be guaranteed that the service will arrive on time. The delays are not for five or six minutes, they can be up to one hour. On occasions people in the west do not know whether they will be brought from Athlone to Westport by bus. Once one passes Athlone one does not know where the breakdown or the hold up will occur. This is not acceptable in 1998.
The number of cars on our roads has reached crisis point. It is time Governments made decisions about transport, particularly with regard to freight. There would not be as many trucks on the roads if Iarnród Éireann operated its business properly and provided a good service. Many business people transporting goods to and from Dublin would use the freight service. They cannot do so at present as delivery times cannot be guaranteed. CIE was once heavily involved in freight transport but it has lost that business. It has lost many major clients because it has not delivered the goods.
It is time to put funding in place and introduce legislation on the rail network. EU regulations make it difficult to compel people to use the freight service. However, the freight service could transport many of the goods coming into and leaving Dublin. No matter what time one travels to Dublin, one will see many trucks travelling to and from the city. It is time to examine this issue and to take some pressure off the roads.
Deputy Brennan referred to the DART. Dubliners have that luxury but the people in my constituency are simply seeking a reasonable mainline service on which they can depend. According to the report, 411,000 people use the Westport to Ballina to Dublin line. That huge number indicates a higher level of rail usage on that line than on lines in other parts of the country. One cannot make the excuse, therefore, that the service is not being used. It would be used to a far greater extent if it was improved. Even I would use it again. I stopped using the train because I could not be sure of being in Dublin at 11 a.m. if I had to attend a meeting. One cannot even be sure of being in Dublin in time for lunch. That is crazy. Many other people have stopped taking the train for the same reason, but they would use it again if there was a proper service.
I urge the Government to invest the necessary resources in that line. Deputy Brennan also referred to lines that were removed in the past. That brings to mind the Westport to Achill line. If that line still existed, it would be a major tourist attraction. Many other rail lines throughout the State were removed, particularly in Dublin city, and it will cost millions of pounds to replace them.
There are enough reports and task forces. We are aware of the problems and we now know how to solve them, something we often did not know in the past. In the case of the rail system, the major problem is money. I hope the forthcoming budget will show the Government's commitment to providing the necessary funding for the Westport to Dublin line. People in the west should not have a second class service with second class trains and lines. They are entitled to a first class service and the money should be allocated to provide it. If that happens, I will be the first to congratulate the Minister.
I wish to share my time with Deputy Cooper-Flynn.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I congratulate the Minister on being the most proactive in a long line of Ministers with responsibility for the Irish railway system in particular and the transport system in general. A comprehensive review of the rail system was long overdue and, now that the initial report is available, it confirms what many people suspected for a long time. Our railways need urgent and radical attention.
The Minister will ensure the necessary urgent and remedial action will be taken. It is a novel and welcome approach that a copy of the report will be sent to every member of staff of Iarnród Éireann. The Minister will also meet the staff to explain the position, outline her strategy and seek their assistance in the implementation of her improvement plan. She is aware that to succeed in her mission she will need to bring many people with her. In this respect, the people who will have to implement the plan are among the most important.
The Minister is in the unenviable position of having inherited a transport system which has been neglected for many years. The permanent ways show this, as do the rail stock and investment figures. The passenger figures are the most damning indicator. There should be a good, efficient, comfortable and safe rail system or none at all. Optimum use of the rail network would remove the pressure on roads and alleviate the suffering of those who must use them.
When I was first elected to the House, I was obliged to seek accommodation in Dublin. I chose to live close to the House and intended to use the train to commute to Waterford. However, I was soon disabused of that notion when I discovered it was impractical due to the inordinately long journey between Dublin and Waterford. I would have preferred to use the train as it provides greater comfort and allows one to work and have something to eat in the course of one's journey. However, it did not fulfil my time requirements. Even though the Dublin to Cork route is 60 miles longer than the Dublin to Waterford route, the journey time is not much greater.
We must be realistic. In this day and age people can sit in their cars and drive to the capital with little delay while retaining the convenience of having their car in the city. An extremely good alternative is necessary to lure them onto the train. Dublin Bus found that out some time ago but has yet to come to terms with it. That is one of the reasons for traffic gridlock in the city.
The Minister's function is to ensure travel on public transport, particularly on the railways, is at least as attractive, comfortable, safe and even inexpensive as the family car. I do not envy her the job of bringing about the changes that are necessary.
Having read the report, I am particularly concerned about the rail service in my constituency and in the south east. It appears to be one of the worst parts of an already decrepit system. Waterford is in the unenviable position of having two of the five worst sections and three of the nine worst sections of rail. The railway in most need of attention is the Waterford to Rosslare europort line, a facility which is used by a huge number of people annually.
The fifth worst section is that from Cherryville to Kilkenny, part of the Waterford to Dublin line. Even the mention of Cherryville junction gives rise to unpleasant memories for people who are familiar with the route. It was there, in August 1983, that seven passengers were killed in a rear end collision. The Limerick to Waterford line has changed little since my youth — not too long ago — when I used it to travel to Munster finals in Limerick and Thurles.
It is bad enough that accidents can happen but if one were to happen because of neglect, everybody should feel accountable. I do not need to urge the Minister to proceed with all speed to bring the deficient lines up to normal standards while they have not yet become dangerous.
We must do everything possible to instill confidence in the public about all aspects of our transport system. People must be reassured that the tracks on which they travel and the signals that were used when the Prince of Wales travelled around the country at the turn of the century have been updated. Nobody would consider them still adequate for the job.
The Minister inherited a run down rail network. Thankfully, however, the incidence of accidents is no worse than in the rest of Europe. This is not a cause for complacency or self congratulation. If that record is to be maintained, if not improved, there must be a huge programme of investment.
The years of neglect have taken their toll and we are now on notice that we must act quickly. The Minister, to her great credit, has faced up to her responsibilities. Given the necessary resources, she will put people back on the trains to travel in safety, acceptable comfort and with worthwhile savings of time. The roads in our cities have reached saturation point with motorised vehicles. Even modest provincial towns experience traffic jams and delays. For that reason alone, not to mention the transport of freight, quick and positive action is required for the travelling public.
We can be guided by previous experience. The success of the DART demonstrates that if a proper service is provided it will be used. The Minister recognises the value of further modernisation of Dublin Bus not only through the provision of vehicles and infrastructure but also through modernising attitudes. In the past, the number of passengers on provincial buses had declined to the point where some buses carried only three or four people on journeys of 50 to 100 miles. Those buses are now full with passengers who are getting a service that is quick, efficient, cheap and comfortable.
The Minister will not have an easy task, but I acknowledge her wisdom in deciding to meet and convince the workers at the coalface who will be crucial in delivering a new and modernised service. She must fight to get the necessary finance to implement her programme. If this involves an element of privatisation or the acquisition of a strategic partner, so be it.
The railway system, despite neglect for over half a century, has still much to offer. It will have a great deal to offer in the future as the movement of people increases. The Irish proverb, "Is tosach maith leath na hoibre", is eminently applicable. Having started well, I urge the Minister not to be deflected in her resolve to provide better and safer trains.
I thank the Deputy for sharing his time. I also take this opportunity to compliment the Minister, Deputy O'Rourke, on employing consultants to produce this report on rail safety following the serious train derailment at Knockcroghery, County Roscommon, in November 1997. I also compliment her on the brief given to the consultants to consider the adequacy of Iarnród Éireann's existing safety systems, rules and procedures and the adequacy of the company's arrangements for implementing them.
I am delighted the consultants managed to inspect 60 per cent of the rail network and that consultations took place with the staff of Iarnród Éireann. That was most important. It is particularly important because, given the number of derailments which have taken place, Iarnród Éireann has assured people using the service that safety is its No. 1 priority. This is of particular relevance to me in relation to the train service to the west, where there has been considerable concern among train users over the years as to whether the service is safe. It is important that we do not generate undue alarm among the public since Iarnród Éireann has assured us that the train service is safe. Not everybody has the use of a car and public transport is essential for some people, particularly patients who must travel from the west to Dublin for essential medical treatment and many students and young children who need essential services which are only available in Dublin. I do not want to discourage those people from using the rail service. However, despite the fact that we have been given the assurance that the rail service is safe, it is only safe in my part of the world at low train speeds. In 1998 that is not acceptable. It results in people arriving in the city long after the stated timetable times. Unfortunately nobody who wants to carry out serious business in Dublin can use the train service from the west. It is not possible for me, a Deputy from the west, to use the rail service to come to and from the Dáil to carry out my business. Undoubtedly if I did so, some votes would be lost in the Dáil. I am sure that would certainly attract major attention to the situation in the west.
I welcome the report's findings, some of which are quite alarming. Serious faults have been highlighted in the signalling system and some of the tracks are in an unacceptable condition. The consultants acknowledge that the condition of much of the track, signalling and structures is poor, while the condition of the rolling stock is on the whole satisfactory.
I wish to share my time with Deputy Farrelly.
Acting Chairman
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I am delighted to get the opportunity to participate in this debate on rail safety. I compliment the Minister on her courage in commissioning this report. It was the right way to go.
With traffic chaos clogging up all of the cities and provincial towns, it is important to try to organise the public transport system in a proper way. In my view the rail network is the most obvious section of public transportation infrastructure to which one should give priority. The review undertaken gives us damning evidence regarding the deterioration of the rail network. The report should be the catalyst for the beginning of the redevelopment of the rail system.
The report shows that the system is inadequate. If we wish to provide a proper and safe rail service, the amount of finance needed is huge. Rather than adopting a piecemeal approach and trying to put in place proper road networks and bus and rail transport facilities, it is appropriate that the Minister should give priority to the rail network. My only complaint would be that the Minister feels that the implementation of the report should be over a 14 year period. That is too long. I appreciate that the amount of money which must be provided is large but if we provide a proper rail service in all areas, it will go a long way towards stopping road traffic chaos. Rail services are a safe and environmentally friendly way to travel. Therefore, priority in the development of the public transport network should be given to the rail service. I ask the Minister to revisit the financial aspect of the matter and try to implement the recommendations of the report over an eight-year period rather than a 15 year period.
We all have our own experiences of the rail service to the areas from which we come. The Dublin-Sligo line has been a major concern of mine for many years, especially since I became a Member of this House, and many of my colleagues have raised the issue. I remember that in 1987 my colleague, Ted Nealon, made the point that the first rail service from Dublin to Sligo in the early 1900s was faster than the current service. Rather than making progress, we have gone backwards.
What concerns me greatly in the report is that safety is now a major concern for the public when they take a train to Dublin.
The Dublin-Sligo line has deteriorated over the years and people using the service are concerned that it is not safe. It is important that Iarnród Éireann state that the line is safe.
If one leaves Sligo and is supposed to be in Dublin at 11 a.m., more than likely one will arrive at 12 noon. Many times people who have taken the train have been left in the middle of the track between Edgeworthstown and Dromod. Nobody tells them what is the problem and they are held up for two or three hours. If that continues, people will not use the rail service.
When this report is being implemented the Minister should give serious consideration to the provision of a rail service from Sligo to Donegal. County Donegal is the only county which does not have a rail service. It should not be so isolated. Over a period of time it is imperative that a proper rail link be put in place from Sligo to Donegal. I hope that Minister will agree to that.
I thank Deputy Reynolds for sharing his time. I welcome the opportunity to speak about this important issue. The results of the report show that there was a need for it to find out the exact position of the rail stock, track, safety provisions and other aspects of the overall infrastructure. It is obvious that a huge amount of money is required.
Coming from a county close to Dublin which is supposed to have all the benefits of the Celtic tiger and all that goes with it, my constituents are in a position where there are two rail stations, one at Enfield and the other at Gormanstown. These do not do much for the thousands of people who must move out of the city to buy houses at a cheaper rate and travel 30 or 40 miles — it is 25 miles from Navan — every day to work.
The Minister's overall proposal is to implement this report are over a 14 year period, which is an enormous length of time. There will be unbelievable changes in that period. There are 500,000 houses required between now and the year 2010 for the growth in population. I want a commitment from the Minister in her reply to this debate that, following the research which has been done, the rail track from Clonsilla to Navan will be relaid and opened for commuters. There is a track from Navan to Drogheda for freight which is used by Gypsum Industries and Tara Mines. That is the only track in County Meath. From my perspective, if we do nothing else except provide a station and relay a 20 mile track to Navan, that would be extremely beneficial for Cavan, north-Meath and Navan, the population of which is expected to increase to 40,000 in the next few years.
There are many worthwhile recommendations in this report. Given that we will not have Objective One status and that the money for develop-ment in this area will have to come from the Exchequer, the Government has to decide on its priorities. Decisions have to be taken by the politicians who sit around the Cabinet table, including those from the county to which I have referred and neighbouring counties who can say they want to take people who use cars to commute long distances to their workplaces, due to house prices, off the roads. This is an interesting scenario. A gentleman on the outskirts of the city bought a house recently 37 miles from here. He said he is saving £1,000 per mile and is prepared to sit in his car for two hours per day to travel to and from work. That is what is happening and it appears it will continue.
Will the Minister ensure the provision of the passenger rail line to Navan? Not alone would there be support for this line but there is a need for it.
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I congratulate the Minister on commissioning the report and on her welcome announcement that £56 million Exchequer investment will be put into public transport. In recent days she said 150 extra buses will be provided in Dublin and that there will be improvements to the main rail line system.
Much of the Galway-Dublin railway line has been improved in the past few years. I understand that by April 1999, the Portarlington-Galway section of that line will be completed. Will the Minister ensure this work is not done in a piecemeal fashion? We are concerned that railways need repair. If Iarnród Éireann is to work on this line I would prefer if it closed the section of line between two towns and used a bus link to carry passengers between those towns. In the event of a rail breakdown passengers get off the train and board a bus for the next station. While we have a good safety record on the railways, we cannot afford to carry out this work in a piecemeal way. I suggest a major overhaul of the railway system.
We need to use all our railway lines. I put this case to Iarnród Éireann in the past because I witnessed sections of a railway line north of Tuam, used mainly for the carriage of freight, being taken up. Following a strong protest Iarnród Éireann agreed to relay the railway line. That line, the Sligo-Limerick line, is the only north-south line in the country. It is important that we maintain those lines. I make a strong case for using some of those rail lines for carrying freight. It may not be possible to carry passengers on all the rail lines.
More timber is being produced in the western region. Generous grants are available in the State and private sectors for tree planting. It is obvious, given Coillte's planting targets, that more timber will be available. It is encouraging to hear those in the timber industry say they would put timber on the railways if they had the proper facilities. This would mean less heavy goods, such as timber, being transported by road. In the past on the Sligo-Limerick line, heavy goods such as coal and cement were always carried by rail. In the western region we now have the Masonite plant in Leitrim and a timber plant in Clonmel and Louisiana Pacific in Waterford. I am pleased the railway line is in place and I hope it can be retained.
Community employment or FÁS schemes could be used to maintain those lines. I am disappointed CIE is neglecting some of these lines. It is not spending money on them, but I am pleased the lines are not being taken up. This is one of the reasons many people in the west have campaigned for a strategic Euro route from Sligo to Limerick to Waterford which would be involved in the timber processing industry. It could also be looked at in terms of tourism projects further down the road.
Visitors from the Continent who come in through Rosslare find it difficult to get to the west. They have to travel to Dublin to make a railway connection. All railway lines radiate from Dublin. The only north-south line is the Sligo-Limerick line. Those in the west who wish to go to the southern region usually have to travel to Portarlington to get a railway connection to the south.
There have been many complaints about overcrowding on the trains. This is a serious matter for Iarnród Éireann, particularly on Friday evenings when many people leave Dublin to return to their homes. The facility, introduced during the summer months, whereby it was possible to pre-book seats on trains, is a good one. Sports fans in Galway who travelled to Dublin in August and September for the all-Ireland football finals pre-booked their train seats. This meant there was no overcrowding. This is a worthwhile development which Iarnród Éireann might extend to Friday evenings. People complain about having no seats on trains, that they are overcrowded and dangerous.
I am pleased that three trains depart Dublin each afternoon for Galway. In the past there were only two trains, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. The extra train leaves at 5 p.m. However, I am not 100 per cent happy about some small but significant changes introduced by Iarnród Éireann. I fail to understand why it cannot provide full dining facilities on all three trains. The 5 p.m. train has full dining facilities but the 7 p.m. train does not, which leads people to take the earlier train and to overcrowding. That is why pre-booking for weekend travel will have to be introduced.
I welcome Iarnród Éireann's investment in extra rolling stock because we need new carriages and ongoing investment. I look forward to major improvements in the Dublin-Galway line and continuous welded rail is most important. I pay tribute to Father Mícheál Mac Gréil, who is passionate about the railways. He recently pointed out that the most disadvantaged part of the Tuam diocese was the area about ten miles either side of the Galway to Tuam section of the Sligo to Limerick railway. The late Monsignor Horan used to speak of the "black triangle" in Mayo; Father Mac Gréil speaks of the "black rectangle", which is a bigger area. A good railway line leads to a good economy because the people in the area do well.
I ask the Minister to examine the railway link to Galway city because there is congestion in the city, although not as bad as in Dublin. The railway could be used to allow access from south Galway to the city. It is fortunate that the terminus is in Eyre Square, in the heart of the city.
I compliment Iarnród Éireann on its good safety record. The last major railway accident was in 1983, in which seven people died. The experience and skill of the staff has contributed to this record. I welcome the Minister's decision to participate in a number of regional workshops in the next few weeks. The views of staff members are important because it is they who receive criticism for difficulties such as trains arriving late, no seating or no tea facilities. I welcome the consultation process for implementing the consultants' recommendations.
While I praise the number of train services in afternoons and evenings, many trains arrive late and people travelling from the west to Dublin for business or hospital appointments do not arrive on time. When I travelled on the Galway to Dublin train some months ago, passengers were given a questionnaire which asked them to indicate at what time they would like to arrive in Dublin. Everyone in my company said their preference was 10 a.m. but that is not possible under the current timetable. In her discussions with Iarnród Éireann I urge the Minister to request that the morning train service would allow people to arrive earlier in the capital.
I propose to share time with Deputy Perry.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic because for some years I have been a rail commuter on the east coast, from Dundalk to Dublin. I had no gripe with CIE over the years and we have come a long way from the days of "Are You Right There, Michael?" However, I am cynical about the plethora of reports and commissions which we are obliged to have on virtually everything. I cannot understand why the Department did not have specialists monitoring the railways or why we have to ask for the deliberations of an outside firm of consultants at huge cost. I am cynical about so-called "experts" because the two biggest mistakes in Ireland in my lifetime were perpetrated by these people — one was the lifting of thousands of miles of railway track, the other was decimalisation, which opened the economic floodgates and made us one of the dearest countries in Europe. Nevertheless, I welcome the attention belatedly being given to the railways as a result of the tremendous amount of money we received from the EU in recent times, which has been put to good use.
The gridlock affecting Dublin makes it a penance to live or even stay three days a week in the city, and the same will happen to every town in the country because of affluence derived from the Celtic tiger. No matter what the cost, the future must be in railways. Everything is relative, including cost — in 20 years' time people may ask why we did not tackle the problem in 1998. A major part of the answer to gridlock is reinvestment in railways, which means laying down rail track across the country. County Donegal was the biggest loser — when the Irish northern railway line closed in 1958 that beautiful and vast county, one hundred miles long, was detached from the rest of Ireland, with terrible damage to its tourism potential. Safety on the roads concerns us all, because more people die on roads in Ireland, per head of population, than in any country in Europe. If more freight was transported by railway there would be fewer lorries and probably fewer deaths.
The DART has been a tremendous success and as someone who travels from Blackrock I appreciate it, but I do not appreciate the numbers crowding on to it. Some years ago I spoke to CIE officials about my safety fears. They were coming from a hostelry in a mood of revelry and dismissed my concerns. However, anyone who sees people packing on to those trains must be concerned because if a tragedy occurred there would be considerable fatalities. It would not necessarily be a case of two trains crashing — if a train's brakes failed and it ran into a buffer there would be severe casualties. Unfortunately, in this country we do nothing until tragedies occur and the DART has exceeded its safety provisions.
I welcome the re-awakening of interest in the railways and hope meaningful action will be taken as a result.
The key towns of Mullingar, Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Ballymote, Collooney and Sligo, and counties Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, west Cavan, south Donegal and south-west Fermanagh are served by the Dublin-Sligo rail link. This line is not just an infrastructural issue, it affects and is affected by many other issues such as low population, dependency of vulnerable groups, access to employment and education, etc. It serves social as well as economic needs. The principle of social subsidy for public transport, particularly in relation to infrastructural investment, in areas of deprivation and social exclusion has not been applied to the rail lines in the areas most affected.
Urban renewal schemes have attracted large investments to towns served by this rail line. Sligo has proposals for an investment of more than £300 million and this, coupled with the new regionalised IDA Ireland grant regime, has attracted to the region major new industrial initiatives which need to be underpinned by a quality trans-European standard rail link. These developments have created an expectation of quality rail services and there are positive indicators that industrialists are now more inclined to consider regional urban centres as locations for enterprise and investment. A modern high speed rail line is an important element of their decision-making and a key selling point for IDA Ireland.
CIE estimates that 54 miles of jointed track will remain post 1999. This track is reaching life expiry, with sections up to 65 years old. Many of the sleepers are up to 35 years old and are life expired. These old rails and sleepers are a cause of concern for safety reasons. They lead to serious speed reductions, poor ride quality and breakdowns and delays in the service.
The engineering division of Iarnród Éireann is seeking a maximum speed over jointed track of 50 miles per hour throughout the system. The new timetable, which is due to be published shortly, will show three hours and 32 minutes from Sligo to Dublin compared to the current travel time of three hours and ten minutes. This compares to the operational programme target of two hours and 45 minutes. The new timetable target time indicates an average speed of 36 miles per hour. It is the same timetable that was launched in 1863, which speaks volumes.
I congratulate the Minister for allocating £14 million from the Luas fund to Carrick-on-Shannon. A further £8 million is now urgently required for the route from Carrick-on-Shannon to Sligo. I appeal to the Minister to provide a loop link in Ballymote because a 15 acre theme park is being developed there and there is not a break in service for 28 miles along the Sligo to Boyle line.
It is interesting to note that in recent years 181,000 people left Sligo, 20,000 left Ballymote, 31,000 left Boyle, 25,000 left Carrick-on-Shannon, 13,000 left Dromod, 48,500 left Longford and 9,000 left Mostrim to go to Dublin. That is a total of 327,000 people, excluding those who travelled from Mullingar.
The traffic problems in our cities and towns require an integrated policy on transportation. We have highlighted some of the implications for Dublin traffic which a failure to invest in railways outside Dublin will create. There is an urgent need for CIE to look at railcars as a serious option for rail services on lines such as that from Sligo to Dublin. Operating costs are approximately one third of current rolling stock. There seems to be a failure to convey to the public and the authorities the favourable consequences of adopting this modern railway technology. This failure has resulted in a general weakening of the case for rail development. The time has come when we must display conviction and self-confidence and ensure that investment is made in the rail service.
Trains are a safe mode of transport. I welcome the allocation of £14 million to Carrick-on-Shannon. I appeal to the Minister to allocate a further £8 for the route from Carrick-on-Shannon to Sligo, which is urgently required. I appeal to her to provide a loop link in Ballymote because a 15 acre theme park is being developed there. There is also the potential to generate business along the Dublin to Sligo line.
I welcome this discussion on the report and I congratulate the Minister for her role in commissioning it. It is stimulating lively debate in the House.
Recent economic growth and increased economic activity, car ownership, commercial traffic and freight on our roads and road deaths have focused attention on public transport. However, it has been found wanting. Public transport has been in a state of decline for the past 20 years. It was starved of investment by successive Governments, but I am glad that is about to change. The Ireland of the Celtic tiger must support public transport. I welcome the Minister's statement that "we are once again entering an era when rail transport will play an increasingly important role in the economic and social life of the country".
As regards DART services, the report states:
DART electrification equipment — generally, the system is in good condition, but due to its age major works will be required in the near future to keep the system running effectively. A lack of formal maintenance procedures and electrical competence certification was noted. The continued use of out-dated equipment to enable staff to gain access to overhead power supply lines requires immediate attention.
That finding will come as a big surprise to many people in this House and elsewhere. Dubliners who use the DART believe it is a modern and efficient service, albeit a costly one. That there is a question mark over its future safety is a cause of concern. I hope we can address this issue because the DART plays an important role as far as transport and traffic in the city is concerned.
Quality bus corridors are being built throughout the greater Dublin area with the result that motorists are being forced off the roads and to use public transport. However, they have found over recent months, particularly in my constituency of Dublin North Central, that an adequate service is not available. They are forced to leave their cars at home because of gridlock and reductions in road space, yet there is no adequate bus, DART or suburban rail service. The DART is overcrowded, suburban rail is stretched to capacity and buses are full at peak times.
I welcome the Minister's announcement on 11 November that there will be new investment in public transport. I understand that 150 new buses will be provided which will increase rush hour passenger capacity by 20 per cent. Extra DART and train carriages and extended platforms will be provided to increase capacity on suburban rail and suburban rail lines will be upgraded.
I also welcome the fact that EU money which was earmarked for Luas but which could not be taken up because of delays in the project will be used for projects in Dublin, although I noted what other speakers said. We are spending that money efficiently in the areas of greatest need. I welcome the Minister's role in that.
On the suggestion that the provision of an additional 150 new buses by Dublin Bus will increase passenger capacity by 20 per cent, I am not sure that such an increase in capacity will be enough. What will a 20 per cent increase in capacity mean? How many more passengers will the buses carry? It will take some time for those new buses to come onstream. From my experience as a representative of the people of Dublin North Central, I do not believe the provision of those additional buses will adequately address the problem. The introduction of quality bus corridors have forced cars off the road in a brutal manner and reduced the road space for cars. If the provision of 150 new buses is not enough, we will have to go back to the drawing board to ensure necessary services are provided to enable people to commute to work in the central city area.
I welcome the general provisions of the Dublin Transportation Initiative, the establishment of the Dublin Transportation Office and the view that public transport needs to be enhanced. Traffic management measures are required, all aspects of parking policy are being reviewed and the provision of cycling facilities is being encouraged. However, I question one element of the initiative, the provision of park and ride facilities. We have moved too slowly in that and we have a gridlock crisis on our hands. Cars cannot gain access to and from the city, particularly during peak periods, and park and ride facilities do not exist. The Government has been lethargic in that regard. Dublin Corporation intends to provide a pilot park and ride facility for the Christmas period at Whitehall and a longer term park and ride facility at Finglas, but the provision of such a pilot facility will only scratch the surface of this problem. The local authorities in the greater Dublin area will need to give this matter priority.
I regret that Iarnród Éireann's announcement that it intends to provide a late night DART service for the Christmas period was made before adequate arrangements were put in place to meet the legitimate security concerns of the staff. I ask the Minister and CIE management to sort out the industrial relations problem with the staff and to get that service up and running for the peak Christmas period. That service is required. We have already heard horror stories of people who have been stranded in the city late at night and could not get home. They could not get a taxi, travel on the DART or catch a nightlink bus. We must give this matter top priority.
I welcome the opportunity to comment on the recent review of rail safety by the IRMS on behalf of the Minister. I compliment my constituency colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, on commissioning this review. It was long overdue and it is important we have a base from which to start to address this problem. It confirmed what we all knew and the anecdotes we have heard about rail safety. Now that the problem has been confirmed we can start to address it.
We are deeply concerned, as is the travelling public, about the safety and comfort aspects of the public transport service. People who have an interest in the development of an efficient public transport service, including the rail service, will welcome this report, but we cannot feign surprise at its contents. Coming from Mullingar, I note, with deep concern, the details of the report dealing with the Dublin to Mullingar section of the railway line. That is something I and my constituency colleague, Deputy McGrath, raised on various occasions in the House. We have failed in the past 20 years to adhere to the concept of developing a proper public transport service, especially a rail service. All we did was throw a few bob to address an issue that is fundamental to the safety of passengers and rail staff. It is vital we provide the necessary investment to develop our railways. We should all support the Minister in her endeavours in this regard at the Cabinet table and elsewhere.
As my colleague, Deputy Stagg suggested, failure to invest in rail transport in the past has been rooted in an ideological opposition to the concept of public transport service provision and the existence of public transport companies. That view underpinned the Thatcherite view in Britain, that private companies operating solely on a profit motive would be the best way to provide a public transport service. I am glad we have not gone that route. The right wing consensus in the early to mid-1980s was that public transport companies should operate on a commercial basis and not be subsidised. I reject that ideological destructive thinking which, if followed, would effectively isolate rural communities and abandon the vital social benefits that accrue from the provision of any public service, particularly rail transport.
We need to invest approximately £600 million to upgrade our railways. That would be of major significance to the Dublin-Sligo and Dublin-Mullingar lines. Particular safety concerns are outlined in the report. There is major overcrowding on 250 services per year on those lines and approximately 120 per cent of seating capacity is utilised. People who have to travel to Dublin often have to stand in carriages for long stretches of their journeys. Iarnród Éireann has taken steps recently to remedy this problem.
Much of the track mileage is nearing the end of its lifespan and this has led to speed reductions and poor journey quality. Some sections of the track and the sleepers were laid 65 years ago. A good deal of our rail system runs across peatland and that aspect must also be attended to. That was noted in the report. It is critical there is investment in rail lines that serve the midlands. The Minister is aware of the need for such investment, but it needs to be hammered home.
Deputy McGrath and I raised the matter of the time it takes to travel from one place to another, a matter of major concern to people who wish to commute from the midlands. The commuting public may have to connect with a flight or another rail or bus service to reach their final destinations, but often they do not make those connections because of delays. It is often said the public do not fully utilise the rail service. However, it is estimated that 200,000 people will use the Dublin to Mullingar rail service this year. If the number of people who will use the Dublin to Sligo line this year was added to that figure, the total would be 600,000 people — a phenomenal number of people use those rail services. That gives the lie to the remarks trotted out by people who do not want investment in the rail service. The rail service is utilised and could be utilised more, but the time factor is critical. The more rail transport is used the better the transport system will be throughout the country. Deputy Haughey mentioned the gridlock in the city. I am sure Deputy McGrath will agree that he and I can get from our places of abode to Lucan in a shorter time than it takes us to get from Lucan to Leinster House. Dublin commuters would be pleased if rural politicians did not travel by road. If we had an efficient public rail system, more people would use it because they would know they would get where they want to go in time. Ensuring that, is an essential feature of an efficient public rail system. An efficient rail system would also have a positive environmental impact. It would reduce the number of cars on the road, help alleviate gridlock and reduce the level of pollution. Investment in this area on a cost benefit analysis would be positive.
A study carried out on the return on investment in the rail service revealed a return of between 13.5 per cent and 15 per cent on the Dublin-Mullingar line, which I am sure Deputy Roche would be interested to note. That represents a major economic return in respect of the criteria adopted and it is extremely good in European terms. I accept the bulk of the money involved is generated on the Mullingar-Dublin line, but even the Galway-Dublin line generates a return of approximately 14.5 per cent. As Members are aware, the greater the number of people who use a service, the higher will be the return on the investment. That is critical. The Cabinet, the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, and the finance bureaucrats who examine these matters from that angle are aware that we can achieve a profitable return on the investment. In that context, I support the Minister's decision to allow CIE to borrow £23 million.
I received a letter from a constituent regarding the daily commuter service from Mullingar to Dublin. She stated that in recent years there have been unexplained train delays, trains have been cancelled, there have been signal failures and heating was not provided on trains in winter. I used the early bird service on the Mullingar-Dublin line when studying to be a barrister. The train departs from Mullingar at 6.43 a.m. and arrives at Connolly Station at 8.25 a.m. It has departed at increasingly earlier times in recent years but it still cannot reach Connolly Station before 8.25 a.m. It is crazy that trains are obliged to stop at Drumcondra Station for ten to 15 minutes. Surely train times could be better synchronised.
It sometimes takes an hour and three quarters to travel from Mullingar to Connolly Station. A person walking on the Royal Canal line could complete the journey faster. Deputy McGrath and I are being criticised for not doing our job because of delays on the Mullingar-Dublin line. We are doing our job and we welcome the publication of the report, which vindicates our view in respect of this matter. The Government will have our wholehearted support in ensuring the necessary investment is put in place to improve the rail lines.
I could refer to other areas dealt with in the report, but time is against me. I intend to ensure the report is not allowed to gather dust and that its recommendations will be implemented. I have no doubt the Government will set about implementing them in a thoughtful way. I intend to ensure the necessary investment is provided to improve the Mullingar-Dublin line.
I wish to share time with Deputy Browne.
Acting Chairman
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I do not intend to make a political point, but members of Deputy Penrose's party held Cabinet seats for ten of the past 15 years. However, everyone has a responsibility to solve this issue. I compliment the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, who has done a good job. By any objective standards, she has done everyone a great service by publishing the report. I also compliment her on the investment package she announced recently. Deputy Penrose was correct to state that during the lifetime of successive Administrations over the past 40 years the public transport system has not been provided with adequate investment. The Minister has shown that she is acutely aware of problems in this area by expanding the public bus fleet, rail services for DART and Iarnród Éireann's rolling stock. Most importantly, however, she has done us a great service by publishing the report.
The report makes for frightening reading. Its findings on tracks, signalling, structures, the DART and rolling stock give everyone pause for thought. With regard to its comments on tracks, Deputy Browne and I intend to make a point about the Dublin-Rosslare railway line — the longest stretch of line in the country which still runs on antiquated wooden sleepers. If one goes south of Greystones, the railway line is in a dangerous condition and speed restrictions operate along its length. The situation is even worse on the stretch of line from Rosslare to Waterford. We are looking down the barrel of a gun because, if an accident occurs, serious damage will be done.
The report's findings on the poor state of the rail signalling system are terrifying. With regard to structures, anyone who uses the DART or the commuter rail system in the greater Dublin area will know that some of the station platforms are extremely dangerous. There is a need for a relatively modest amount of money to be spent on improvements in this area. Deputy Haughey made the valid point that the report's comments regarding safety on the DART will come as news to most people because everyone had believed the system was running properly.
I will make only one comment on the rather sanguine view expressed in the report with regard to rolling stock. It is clear that the person who stated that rolling stock is generally satisfactory has never travelled on the Arklow-Dublin or Wexford-Dublin lines.
I wish to express specific concerns on two issues, namely, the DART and Dublin-Rosslare line. The problem with the Dublin-Rosslare line is that investment has never been provided to facilitate improvements to it. The line is particularly vulnerable because for long stretches it runs either adjacent to the seashore or on land reclaimed from the sea. That rail line is the most vulnerable to erosion and rot, but no investment has been made to improve it. The Joint Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport was recently informed that this is the longest stretch of line in the country which runs on old fashioned railway sleepers. That stretch of line is not mentioned in the current programme of investment for upgrading. At least the rail lines to which preceding speakers referred will be catered for under that programme. No action will be taken on the Dublin-Rosslare line before 1999.
Because of the rapid growth of towns such as Arklow and Wicklow, the Dublin-Rosslare line is now a vital artery. There has been phenomenal growth in commuter traffic on the line which could provide a huge amount of investment for improvements to it. However, additional trains cannot be provided or schedules cannot be upgraded because the line is in a dangerous condition. It is difficult to understand why this line which, in addition to serving the commuter belt which now stretches as far south as Arklow and which also services the Euro port of Rosslare, has not been the subject of more attentive reaction.
I wish to raise another point about the Dublin-Rosslare line which is of particular concern to me. A certain amount of important commercial traffic is carried on the line in addition to some very dangerous commercial traffic. At present, major chemicals are transported on this rail line to the IFI plant in Arklow. Any deficiencies on the line mean we are running the risk that there will be a catastrophic accident, a fact which undermines and threatens the economic viability of a plant that is vital to the people of Arklow. Therefore, there are two reasons the line, not only for commuter purposes but from the point of view of general public safety, should be the subject of major investment.
The Government and its predecessors earmarked millions of pounds for investment in upgrading the N11. A great deal of the traffic which causes the chaos on that route is commuter traffic which, in most cases, could be transferred to rail transport.
Much has been said about the DART. The extension of the DART to Greystones is long overdue. It would have happened 20 years ago but for the fact that someone in CIE miscalculated the figures. As Deputy Haughey stated, in the next four months the DART will be extended to Greystones, but no parking facilities have been provided. Iarnród Éireann has been offered the use of a enough land by the local county council to build a 350 space car park adjacent to the DART station. However, the Dublin Transportation Office, for reasons which elude me, has decided not to fund the construction of the car park. If ever a stupid, short-sighted decision was taken, this is it. I made a proposal to CIE to consider the possibility of extending the DART to Kilcoole, three and a half miles down the line from Greystones. The line is in place and the demand is present. Why stop short again and encourage a further 20 years of debate before an extension is built at an inflated cost?
There is a major amount of work to be done in this area. However, I will conclude by complimenting the Minister on publishing the report.
(Wexford): I thank Deputy Roche for sharing time. I compliment the Minister on initiating this review on the Irish rail system. Deputy O'Rourke is the first Minister to take positive action in this regard. I welcome Deputy Yates's new-found interest in this subject because during his three years as a Minister he showed scarce commitment to the Dublin-Rosslare rail line. On a number of occasions when I raised the issue in the Dáil the former Minister, Deputy Lowry, disallowed my questions on the grounds that he had no say in Iarnród Éireann. I thank the Minister sincerely for her upfront approach in dealing with this.
Like Deputy Roche, I am very concerned about the Rosslare-Dublin line. Rosslare is a Euro port, one of the major ports in Europe, and it is growing at an alarming rate, yet the rail line between Rosslare and Dublin is obsolete, comprising predominantly old jointed rail on timber sleepers which are rapidly reaching life expiry. There are numerous speed restrictions on the line because of the age of the infrastructure. The present journey times are uncompetitive. I travelled by train recently to Dublin. It took about two and a half hours, and it was nice to sit back and relax. However, very few people travelled on that train until it got to Greystones. From there into Dublin it filled up very quickly. From the passengers' point of view, the carriages were very old and in a dilapidated condition and there are very few services for the public to use. From Greystones on it is a different world with modern stations and so on, but Gorey, Arklow and Enniscorthy have only basic facilities for commuters. It is time this line was upgraded to a proper standard. I have been in the Dáil for 16 years and during that time I have argued with Ministers in different Governments for the provision of money for the upgrading of this line. Enniscorthy and Gorey are expanding towns, and Wexford is bulging at the seams. There is no doubt that if this line and the train facilities were upgraded far more people would travel.
My final point relates to journey times. I get to Loughlinstown by road in an hour, but to travel from Loughlinstown into the city could take anything from one to one and a half hours. The Minister has decided to deal with the railways. It is time she dealt also with the three county councils in Dublin who have no regard whatsoever for rural commuters coming into Dublin. I have been travelling the Loughlinstown road for seven or eight months, and roadworks have been going on there for all of that time. Surely somebody in Dublin's county councils has the ingenuity to speed up those roadworks and complete them because they are causing major difficulties to commuters from Wexford and Wicklow.
I too want to express my shock at the recent revelation that the risk of accident on the Dublin to Mullingar railway line was the second highest in the country. I was aware for some time of the need for investment in track renewal and signalling on this route, but I was totally unaware of the very poor condition of this route and the potential for serious accidents. For quite some time we have been aware that what we were getting in terms of rolling stock on our line were the leftovers — what was not necessary or usable on other routes — but I had not realised the situation was so bad.
The growth in numbers from Westmeath attending higher education, the mobility of our people and the increasing numbers who commute daily to and from Dublin has led to a big increase in the use of this railway line. Because of the huge numbers using this line — Deputy Penrose estimated there were 120,000 in 1997 — and the present gross overcrowding on this route, it is imperative that additional investment is made immediately. As to journey times, the train pulls out at about 6.45 a.m. each morning and arrives in Dublin at about 8.30 a.m. If one were to leave Mullingar at that time and drive one's car, one would be in Dublin twice over before the train got there. It is not really a competitive commuter line and needs to be upgraded dramatically.
I welcome the provision of an additional train originating in Mullingar, commencing last Sunday. This train, two carriages with the capacity to carry 130 passengers, will help to relieve the gross overcrowding on Sunday nights on the Sligo-Dublin route. Heretofore the passengers — 150 on average — embarking at Mullingar on the 7.30 p.m. train to Dublin on Sunday nights had no possibility of getting a seat. They spent the journey standing in corridors, crowded into the linkages between carriages, standing in the guard's van and even permanently confined to the toilet. This is unacceptable. I have submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for Public Enterprise alerting her to the possible dangers for these passengers and asking for safety measures to be put in place. This question was answered yesterday and the response is already in the record of the House. I note that in that reply the Minister said she had no responsibility for safety on the railways, yet in her speech last night she said "road safety is not just my business, it is everybody's business". There is a slight contradiction here. Either it is her responsibility or it is not. I would say it is her responsibility and I hope she will put in place measures to improve it.
It should be noted that the staff have been faced with this impossible situation because of lack of foresight by the management of Iarnród Éireann and the lack of infrastructural investment by successive Governments. I acknowledge that £12.5 million is being spent on track renewal on this line and £5 million on signalling upgrading, but this work will not be completed until the end of next year. What interim measures are being taken to improve safety for the thousands of passengers using this line? This is an important question, and I hope the Minister will get an opportunity to respond to it. We know that the track and signalling are being upgraded, but can we be sure that passengers will be safe in the interim? Since the money is available for this upgrading, would it be possible to speed up the work by employing additional staff in Iarnród Éireann or by subcontracting parts of the work so that a safer track could be put in place as soon as possible?
I also acknowledge the allocation of £17 million for track renewal on this route — money originally earmarked for the Luas project — but again the benefits will not be in place for up to three years.
Acting Chairman
I understand the Deputy is sharing time.
With Deputy Jimmy Deenihan.
I was informed there was some arrangement which was subject to confirmation.
I have no difficulty sharing time with the Deputy.
Would it be possible to employ additional staff and get that in place sooner? I would hope so.
Mullingar is expanding very rapidly. An additional 1,000 houses were built in the past four years, representing a 25 per cent increase. There is an increasing demand for a good commuter line between Mullingar and Dublin. Since Mullingar has the necessary infrastructure already in place — sewerage capacity, student places in primary and secondary schools, recreational, sporting and social amenities and a variety of arts and heritage groups — it makes good economic sense to encourage further development in the town and its environs.
Infrastructural development of our rail link will also give people an opportunity to move out of Dublin for cheaper and better quality housing in provincial towns. I call on the Government to fund the works required in the same way as road improvements are paid for. The Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, has said that she has approved borrowing for this work by Iarnród Éireann. Can we not go that step further? Why should the Government not invest in this infrastructural improvement itself? After all, it does invest in roads. What is different about our rail network? Why can we not have that investment?
As damning as this report is of our rail network, particularly the Dublin-Mullingar line, we can be content that the dangers to passengers are not nearly as great as to road users where up to 50 people may die between now and Christmas. The record of Irish Rail is relatively good with only five serious accidents in 43 years involving 34 fatalities. I note that specific recommendations relating to particular locations and equipment have been made to Iarnród Éireann by the reporting consultants. These recommendations should be made public so that the travelling public will be able to monitor progress on these improvements and hence be content that safety on our rail line is being improved.
Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a gabháil leis an Teachta McGrath as ucht a cuid ama a roinnt co maith.
I am happy to have the opportunity to address the issue of rail safety. From the report, it seems that there has been an enormous amount of neglect over the years which has resulted in a very poor maintenance record. The fact that there are railways that have not had regular maintenance is a frightening thought. It seems that problems will have to arise before action is taken. This has to change.
There is an imbalance in investment in road and rail infrastructure. While there is the question of safety, there is also the question of our international commitments relating to greenhouse gas emissions and the provision of an alternative to the motor car, the numbers of which are burgeoning. Commuters in my constituency of Dublin North, from Portmarnock, Malahide, Donabate, Rush, Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan, have the right to travel in comfort. The Minister should travel on the service at the times when there is congestion which is insufferable, even for those in good health. There is severe overcrowding at peak hours. In Tokyo staff are employed to push people on to trains. We face a similar prospect here.
While the report deals with the condition of the track, signalling and other infrastructure, the issue of rail safety has to be addressed by providing the additional carriages ordered as quickly as possible. With the increase in building activity in outlying areas there is an enormous demand for increased capacity on the rail network.
I thank Deputy Lenihan for sharing his time with me. It is much appreciated. I am appalled that the line from Howth junction to Drogheda is fourth on the list of lines which are under-financed. The Minister should make the necessary resources available immediately to upgrade it. Finance is also required to provide additional rail cars — more than 10,000 passengers use the line daily — which should not be used elsewhere during bank holiday weekends or on match days. There is an economic benefit to be gained in reducing the number of motor cars on the road. There is overcrowding from Balbriggan through Malahide, Rush, Lusk, Donabate and Skerries to the city centre. Unless action is taken immediately the Government will stand indicted in the event of an accident.
I compliment the Minister on commissioning and publishing the report and demonstrating the necessary political will to implement its recommendations. I share Deputy McGrath's concern about the Mullingar line which runs through my constituency and which is rated as the second most dangerous in the country. In the past year I have received a large number of complaints in regard to the quality of the service on the section of the line between Connolly Station and Maynooth. The main complaint is that on the morning service to Dublin carriages are crammed to capacity by the time the train reaches the suburban fringe. There is severe overcrowding. In direct contravention of safety regulations, passengers embarking in Clonsilla, Coolmine and Castleknock stations must stand in the aisles, doorways, the guard's van and even the toilets. There are frequent delays because of which Iarnród Éireann is compelled to make alternative arrangements. Similar problems arise on the evening service.
I welcome the fact that the Minister has reassigned moneys earmarked for the Luas project to the development of this line. I have pushed hard for this since my election to the House. Sufficient urgency cannot be attached to this project. As Deputy McGrath mentioned, in addition to providing a double track to Maynooth, in the longer term it will have to be extended to Kilcock and Mullingar. This represents substantial value for money because there is a sound economic case for investment in the line. Because the infrastructure is in place the additional capital cost involved is far less than the sums required for some of the more ambitious and daft projects advanced to solve traffic chaos in Dublin. The Minister has been the first to recognise this in a tangible way in recent years.
There is huge scope for further development in terms of the provision of park and ride facilities for provincial commuters. The point Deputy McGrath made about the development of suburban areas in the eastern region is relevant. If the line can be developed, it will create far more space for housing developments at the time when house prices are high.
Although not directly related, there is another matter to which I wish to refer. Developers in my constituency where a vast number of new houses are being constructed are advertising developments on the basis that the area is served by a rail service which, as I have explained, is inadequate. This is deplorable. If there are any further advertisements, I propose to take the matter up with the relevant bodies responsible for advertising standards. It is not acceptable that young persons are being induced to purchase houses on the basis that the area is served by a rail service which cannot take the number of commuters who wish to avail of it.
Sitting suspended at 1.30 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.