Vol. 509 No. 1
143 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself with the current level of safety at level crossings for the national train network in view of a further accident on 5 October 1999 at a level crossing near Dromkeen, County Limerick, where a milk lorry collided with a train; if an inquiry has established the cause of the accident; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19835/99]
Safety at level crossings is being addressed in the implementation by Iarnród Éireann of the Railway Safety Programme 1999-2003. The company plans to invest some £88 million over that period to mitigate safety risks at over 600 level crossings which were identified in a special study carried out for Iarnród Éireann by consultants A.D. Little. Risk mitigation measures have already been carried out this year on 40 crossings and work is expected to be completed on a further 30 before the end of the year. This is in line with the target for 1999 in the railway safety programme.
Iarnród Éireann has instituted an internal inquiry into the accident at Woodfarm level crossing near Dromkeen, County Limerick on 5 October 1999. The company will take account of the findings and recommendations of that inquiry in its ongoing evaluation of level crossing safety.
I have received a preliminary report from one of my railway inspecting officers who travelled to the accident site on the morning it happened. She will follow up any relevant matters with the company and in due course review the findings and recommendations of the Iarnród Éireann inquiry.
