Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Mar 2000

Vol. 517 No. 1

Written Answers. - Rail Network.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

76 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the actions, if any, she has taken following the publication of the IRMS report, A Review of Railway Safety in Ireland - Implementation Review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9068/00]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

81 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the measures, if any, she will take to improve rail safety; if she will give an assurance that international rail safety standards are applicable at all times; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9140/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 81 together.

The implementation review was published on 7 March last. On the same day, but prior to the publication, I met with the managing director of Iarnród Éireann and his senior management team to express my serious concerns about elements of the report's findings.

I made it clear during the course of the meeting that I found it unacceptable that the unreasonable risks identified in the original 1998 report had not yet been fully resolved. I also impressed upon him the need to put in place a proper risk management system.

Follow-up meetings between my Department, Iarnród Éireann and IRMS, have already taken place to identify the actions that are required to address these and other issues raised in the IRMS report.

Arising from these meetings, Iarnród Éireann is now in the process of preparing a paper outlining its response to the unreasonable risks which remain to be fully resolved. This paper, which I expect to receive shortly, will be considered by my Department and IRMS with a view to agreeing a process for dealing with them in a manner that is acceptable to IRMS.

I have also made it clear to Iarnród Éireann that, in line with IRMS's recommendations, the establishment and use of an effective risk management system must be at the heart of the company's safety culture. IRMS will shortly brief the company on the risk model which it uses to evaluate hazards. It will then be a matter for the company to move immediately to develop a risk management system.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the audit was carried out one year into the five year programme. Further audits will be undertaken on an annual basis. In the meantime, my Department will closely monitor progress on the full implementation of all of the recommendations made by IRMS.

I have noticed that much of the comment on the IRMS report has concentrated by necessity on the negative aspects of the report. However, the report acknowledges the enormous amount of work carried out by Iarnród Éireann to date and I would like to put on the record of the House my appreciation to the staff and management of the company for this valuable work.

Finally, in the original terms of reference given to IRMS in 1998, it was asked "to use appropriate international benchmarks in assessing the safety of the Irish railway system, adjusted where necessary to take account of the particular features of that system". In the reports published to date, the recommendations made by IRMS were made in this context.