Vol. 514 No. 3
41 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that all unreasonable risk deficiencies identified in the IRMS report have been dealt with by Iarnród Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4110/00]
In 1998 the IRMS was commissioned to carry out a review of rail safety in Ireland. In its report, it identified a number of unreasonable risks requiring urgent remedial action by Iarnród Éireann. As part of the original terms of reference for the railway safety study, it was envisaged that there would be a need for follow-up auditing by the independent consultants. While the first audit was planned to commence in October 1999, I asked the IRMS to undertake a pre-audit prior to its carrying out the full audit so that I could have an early preliminary indication of progress on the recommendations contained in the 1998 report.
The pre-audit was finalised in September 1999. It concluded that a great deal had been done by Iarnród Éireann over the previous six to 12 months to reduce risk and that many encouraging initiatives had been started to improve safety culture. However, the IRMS reported that some unreasonable risks reported by Iarnród Éireann as being rectified or completed still required further attention. It concluded that the findings of the pre-audit should be examined in more depth during the full audit and that the full audit should include a more extensive survey to verify that the unreasonable risks had been rectified. From my point of view, it was good to note that progress had been made. However, it was and remains worrying to me that some unreasonable risks had not at that time been rectified.
The IRMS commenced the full audit in October, because that was one year from the safety report, and drafting of the audit report is nearly complete. From contacts with the consultants, my officials advise me that the IRMS is of the view that a number of unreasonable risks still remain to be fully resolved. This is obviously of great concern to me. However, as was the case in the original review, the IRMS experts were at all times accompanied on site visits by Iarnród Éireann staff who would have been aware of the deficiencies as they were discovered by the IRMS team.
Iarnród Éireann has assured me that it is continuing to work on resolving those unreasonable risks. I expect to have the final audit report from the IRMS within the next two weeks and I will take whatever action is appropriate after considering the report. I will seek Iarnród Éireann's immediate response to the findings of the audit. I intend to publish the audit report at an early date.
Does the Minister accept that this is a serious situation where the consultants appointed by her to compile an interim report found that Iarnród Éireann was covering up or giving less than frank answers in its assessment of the safety situation, that it said it had corrected things it had still not corrected and that unreasonable risk continued to exist in these areas? Will the Minister publish that report? Does she agree that the travelling public has a right to know the risk it takes when buying a rail ticket? Can she identify the lines with the highest risk? The Minister said she will take whatever action is appropriate. Does she agree she should have taken appropriate action long ago? This is ongoing and there was a debate on it in the House during which I gave full credit to the Minister for commissioning the safety report. However, it is now past time for taking appropriate action. Does the Minister agree that waiting for another report before taking that appropriate action is not acceptable where there is unreasonable risk?
I remind the House that, under the rules, supplementary questions and answers are limited to one minute.
For everyone?
Was I longer than that?
You were.
I accept the situation as outlined by the Deputy. I will publish both reports in two weeks' time and it is right that the public should know. A sum of £86 million was spent in 1999 and £100 million is provided this year and again next year for the work detailed in the IRMS report. It is vital that any work identified as necessary is carried out according to the consultants' specifications. I presented the first IRMS report to Cabinet and sought funding, which I obtained. I then brought the idea to Cabinet that there should be yearly reports so that we would know if the railways were being made safe.
The IRMS doubted that the safety department in Iarnród Éireann had sufficient resources to undertake development work as well as co-ordinating the safety programme. In light of that part of the report and given that sizeable resources have been provided, something I acknowledge, does the Minister agree that the resources are not being directed where they are needed if the safety department in Iarnród Éireann has no money or resources? Will the Minister take immediate action to ensure that this flaw in the system identified by IRMS is rectified immediately so that the safety department is brought up to standard?
The interim or half-yearly audit report began last February and I had been told at the end of the previous year that I would receive £86 million in funding for rail safety. CIE's concern about the closeness of the two developments was identified by IRMS. That has now been rectified because £100 million is ringfenced in CIE for safety for this year. I am perturbed that the risks identified by IRMS in Iarnród Éireann have not been fully resolved. It is something on which I will take immediate action.
We have gone over time and we must proceed to Question No. 42.
I tabled Question No. 50 on the same matter. I do not know why it was not taken with Question No. 41.
We will reach it.
We will not. I have waited patiently, but I will be brief. The IRMS report of October 1998 stated that all unreasonable risk deficiencies were to be remedied within six months. The data I received on this matter under the Freedom of Information Act showed a serious amount of unreasonable risk had still not been attended to and that little progress had been made by the Department in strengthening the railway inspectorate. Will those two specific areas be dealt with?
I do not carry out the work and neither do the officials in my Department. The IRMS identified the unreasonable risks which needed to be rectified and I want to see that happen and do not want to hear any more excuses. It is why I commissioned the interim report alongside the yearly report which I will receive soon. Regarding the railway inspectorate, a third person has been offered a position and we await a reply. There is already a female and male inspector.
