Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Dec 1991

Vol. 130 No. 16

Adjournment Matter. - Rail Services.

Mr. Cassidy

I would like to allocate some of my time to the Leas-Chathaoirleach who comes from the same midland area that is affected by this very serious problem.

I am calling on the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications to provide extra subvention to Iarnród Éireann to ensure adequate rail services, particularly on the Dublin, Mullingar, Longford and Sligo lines. Since we last spoke about this problem here over 12 months ago, it has also been highlighted by the chambers of commerce in the various towns I mentioned — Longford, Mullingar and Sligo. Only a few days ago we heard on one of the most popular programmes on our national radio station the many views expressed in particular by the Sligo chamber of commerce. This problem is so serious that the chief executive of Iarnród Éireann came back with his team two mornings later to listen to and discuss the various views and objections raised in that public forum.

I come from Mullingar, the main town of the midlands, a town which has been neglected by all parties when it came to decentralisation; to date, there has been decentralisation of Government Departments to Longford, Athlone, Tullamore and Sligo. In my opinion this is mainly because certain members of the Government reside in those areas. I am looking for a commitment from the Minister and his Department to provide an adequate rail service to the main town of the midlands. At present more than 150 people per day travel by train from Mullingar to Dublin; possibly another 50 travel by bus and I believe we have the potential of another 350 who will travel to work in Dublin. This is a perfect example of where we can make a commitment on decentralisation. This potentially massive workforce could work in Dublin and continue to enjoy the facilities of living at home in Mullingar, Castlepollard and all the other villages in the midland area, if a satisfactory rail service was provided. Instead we have a deplorable situation which I do not want to go into in detail now because many people have mentioned it. However, I will state the facts very briefly.

We have a rail line over 50 years old; the train and locomotives are over 30 years old; and part of the line from Dublin to Sligo has a signal system over 100 years old. No reasonable person could expect such a line to function properly and bring passengers to their destinations on time. A speed limit of 50 mph has been introduced and in respect of part of the line at Killucan it has been reduced. People from the Mullingar area going to school or work in Dublin, or coming to the Parliament have to be on time — we all know what the Chief Whip will do with us if we miss the Order of Business. If we are late we cannot blame Iarnród Éireann or the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications.

The reality is that here is a marvellous opportunity to be grasped. We all see the great benefits of the DART, taking 8,000 cars a day off the road; 65,000 people now use the DART. We all know that the service being given to the people living on the east coast by Iarnród Éireann is reasonably good, but everywhere else seems to have a deplorable track record. I am speaking here principally about the Mullingar area, but I want to bring in Longford and Sligo as well. If something is not done about this line quickly it will create a very serious problem for the people who are trying to avail of the present transport system.

On the short journey from Mullingar to Dublin the train is half an hour late every morning — not just one morning but every morning. The Government have given CIE a subvention for 1991 of £108 million in respect of essential public services. That is a very sizeable amount; practically £2 million per week. This represents a substantial level of support for public transport, particularly against the background of scarce Exchequer resources. Of this, over 80 per cent will be expended on railway services. In addition, the 1991 public capital programme provides for capital expenditure by CIE of £36.2 million, of which £5.7 million has been allocated for railway signalling and track replacement.

The allocation of these resources to individual capital programmes within the CIE group is entirely for the board of CIE. The signalling part of this line, as I said, is over 100 years old. But of that substantial amount which the Government have given to Córas Iompair Éireann only 1.2 per cent has been spent on the Sligo line. Politically, this area — whether you take Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath or Meath — has represented the Government party very well when it came to votes, but we seem to be doing very badly when it comes to getting our fair share of allocations. Those who think that this is not going to be a major political issue in the midlands — the gateway to the west, as we are known — are only fooling themselves. I am publicly stating here today that I, for one, am making this a major political issue in the next general election. I am calling for substantial funding and a commitment today without reservation. I consider that the people in the midlands and the west are entitled to the same opportunities and are as entitled to live in their home area, as the people in the east or anywhere else.

I have outlined the problem here. The rail service continues to be downgraded because adequate resources have not been made available to renew the track. That is why the speed limit is reduced from 60 mph to 50 mph, and I hope I do not see it down to 40 mph next year. My Seanad colleague will confirm everything I am saying here today, the people in the midlands have gone into this in detail.

There has to be a solution and I hope I have been positive in putting on the record the background to this motion. I am asking the Minister to give a commitment to include the Dublin/Sligo/ Mullingar/Longford railway line in the next EC operational programme on peripherality so that the line will receive the necessary funding from the next issue of EC Structural Funds. I believe that is absolutely essential if this line is to remain open. In the meantime, finances must be made available to ensure that the services survive until the Structural Funds come on stream. On those issues the future of this line depends.

We are seeking to have these lines upgraded because they serve not alone the whole midland and Sligo area but the north-west. This is the main route for exporting industrial products to Europe. Donegal has no railway line, and this is the only line near Donegal, although it is probably 100 miles from the furthest part of Donegal. Do I need to say more? It is also a key access route for the developing tourist industry in the north-west. It is a vital component in the social infrastructure of the north-west and the midlands. At a time when the authorities are battling to come to grips with Dublin's traffic and pollution problems, it makes good sense to ensure that the 150,000 people using the Sligo line every year and the 300,000 people who begin their journeys further up the line, do not transfer to cars and coaches.

I could go on and depress everyone with further unbelievable statistics, but I would just ask the Minister to accept the views I am expressing here sincerely on behalf of the people I represent. There are few Members in Seanad Éireann from the midlands. It is very seldom I raise any matter on the Adjournment. However, this is possibly the most serious issue I have raised on the Adjournment in my ten years in this House, because it concerns the lives and well-being of those who live in our part of the country. I would like to give the rest of my time to Senator Naughten.

Mr. Naughten

I thank Senator Cassidy for sharing his time with me and I endorse the sentiments expressed by him. He referred to the Sligo-Dublin railway line but the problem is not confined to that line. It also exists on the Westport-Dublin line and to a lesser degree on the Galway-Dublin line. The Westport and Sligo lines affect the constituency I represent.

I am disappointed at the way the railway service on the Westport and Sligo lines has been run down by Iarnród Éireann over the past two or three years. While I appreciate that they have major financial difficulties, it would appear that other areas get the lion's share of the limited funds available.

Mr. Cassidy

Cork to Dublin.

Mr. Naughten

We in the west must get our fair share of the funds to keep those three railway lines open because they are the gateway to the west. If one is visiting a foreign country one will use public transport unless one hires a car. If we do not have a rail link with the west tourists will not go there and, as Senator Cassidy and the Cathoirleach know without tourism the west will die. The GATT and the Common Agricultural Policy have already affected the rural population as has the policy of afforestation. The west will be further adversely affected if these railways are closed.

Maintenance of the lines has dropped to a low level. One of those lines goes through my land and some of my stock were killed last year when they went out on the railway line because CIE had not maintained their merings. There was a train crash in Clara and, from my information, that happened as a result of lack of maintenance. Bolts connecting the rails were fractured. CIE had known they were fractured for some time and they had not been replaced. The week after the accident, on the Saturday, Sunday and the bank holiday their staff were out replacing bolts and different sections of the line that had been fractured, some for 12 months, but had not been replaced. This is what is going on.

Six months ago on the outskirts of Westport a train was derailed because the track sank as the train was going over it. That is unacceptable. The Minister has responsibility for Iarnród Éireann and must ensure that money is spent on those three railway lines.

Senator Cassidy referred to signalling. Signalling is creating the problem but it is not confined to the old signalling system. I came to Ballycahir Cross where there are new modern gates and all the traffic was held up because the barriers were down. After waiting for about half an hour I decided to telephone Castlerea. I was told there was no train on the line and that I could go through. That is unbelievable. They sent for a maintenance man to come from Athlone to rectify a gate 25 miles away.

I endorse everything Senator Cassidy said. I appeal to the Minister to ensure that maintenance work is carried out on the lines immediately and not in 12 or 18 months time. I call on the Minister to ensure that Structural Funds are made available to update those three railway lines. We all benefit from the ring roads around Dublin but the amount of money spent on the rail structure over the last ten years pales into insignificance when compared to that spent on roads. There is talk of having the new rail system in Dublin while the rail system in the west is about to collapse.

I ask the Minister to get money immediately for capital maintenance on those three lines and ensure that Structural Funds are made available when the programme is renegotiated to include railway lines and links to the west.

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications (Mr. Lyons)

Bhí an tairiscint seo os comhair na Dála le déanaí agus is cúis áthais dom an deis a bheith ar fáil an t-ábhar a phlé sa Seanad. Molaim an Seanadóir Cassidy as ucht an rún a chur faoinár mbráid anseo agus gur thug sé cúpla nóiméad dá chara i gContae Ros Comáin chun cur leis an díospóireacht.

I am very pleased to have been asked to reply to the motion put down by Senator Cassidy and contributed to by his colleague, Senator Naughten, from County Roscommon. I accept the concerns expressed by both Senators and the concerns of the members of the chambers of commerce. I am glad the Senators discussed the matter here. I accept the concern of passengers on Iarnród Éireann and some of the things that emanated from the radio programme during the week which gave a picture of where we are with Iarnród Éireann. We do not have a big mileage of railway track in this country.

I am pleased that I have been given an opportunity to expand on the contribution I made on the same subject in the Dáil recently. I would point out that the provision of services on any line in the national network is a matter which falls entirely within the day-to-day responsibility of Iarnród Éireann.

Senator Cassidy mentioned that the total subsidy to CIE in respect of the provision of essential public services will amount to over £108 million in 1991. That is over £2 million per week of taxpayers' money paid to CIE, the holding company. These are the people who pay their fares when they travel by bus and train.

More than £86 million of the £108 million will be spent on the railways. In addition, and that is only the subsidy, Senator Cassidy mentioned the figure in the capital programme of £36.2 million, of which £10 million has been allocated for expenditure on railway signalling, new rolling stock and other related infrastructure. The allocation of resources within the group's individual capital programme is a matter entirely for the board of CIE.

State support for the railways over the years has been more than significant. I will add to the statistics already mentioned by the Senators. Since 1980, the total State day-to-day subvention for rail services provided by CIE has amounted to over £940 million since 1980, a ten year period. People should reflect on whether we are getting good value for that kind of expenditure. In addition, capital investment of over £228 million in the railways has been made by CIE in the same period, bringing the total amount to almost £1.2 billion in just over a decade.

Senators, chambers of commerce and the public are asking questions, and, in my view, those questions are justified. The Minister has announced that he intends to conduct a full strategic study of the future investment needs of our railway system. When there is a problem with services or lines CIE's defence is that they want more money. I ask taxpayers to reflect on the figures I have just read out and then they can make up their own minds as to the answer.

I have been advised by the chairman of CIE that following a review of their track renewal programme earlier this year, Iarnród Éireann deferred some elements of work on the Mullingar/Sligo segment of the Dublin/Sligo line. This resulted in speed restrictions being applied to some sections of the line between Mullingar and Sligo, but it must be acknowledged that these speed restrictions are in the interests of safety. We should not allow ourselves to be diverted from that important aspect. The distances of line where these speed restrictions apply vary between a half mile and one mile. The chairman of CIE told me that these restrictions have added ten to 15 minutes to the journey between Dublin and Sligo. He has also advised that maintenance work on the line is continuing. The case cited by Senator Naughten is worth repeating and I will probably raise it in discussions with management and middle management. First they could not repair the damaged fractured bolts, then something happened and everybody was working, even on bank holidays, to repair them. Need I say more?

Mr. Naughten

That is a fact.

Mr. Lyons

I do not doubt the Senator; I know he would not come in here with a fairytale. I accept what the Senator said.

When the chairman of CIE says that maintenance work on the line is continuing, I must accept that as well. I hope it is continuing. I must emphasise that the maintenance and renewal of tracks is a matter which falls within the day to day responsibility of Iarnród Éireann. I will not accept that the reason some of this work was not done and a better service was not provided was a lack of money. As I have already said, we gave CIE £1.2 billion over ten years.

Sligo railway station has recently been upgraded as part of Iarnród Éireann's trans-track reorganisation and will now cater for groupage and sundry traffic for the north-west region. We are concerned about all regions of the country but particularly about access to the north-west. It is also understood that Iarnród Éireann intend, with EC assistance, to replace the existing freight gantry at Sligo. The replacement gantry crane will be capable of lifting larger containers. That too is a step in the right direction. Más mall is mithid. Higher operating speeds will also be possible with this new equipment. That is all part of the infrastructure for that area. This new equipment will expedite the movement of heavy cargo through Sligo station and greatly facilitate traders in that area. I agree with Senator Cassidy that it is necessary to have speedy, efficient, door-to-door delivery of produce.

The Government's commitment to the railway service is amply demonstrated by these measures which represent an ongoing and very substantial level of Exchequer support for the rail network and for all the transport infrastructure. This level of support is ongoing against a background of severe pressure on national finances and resources. In recent years workers, employers, and the general public have fallen in line with the Government's strategy to get the finances right and be in the position we are in at present where our economy is more sound than that of the UK, which was always held up as a great example to us. Ninety nine per cent of people — workers, employers, industrialists — have put their shoulders to the wheel and a semi-State body like Iarnród Éireann will also have to make their contribution to the economic development we are all aiming for and have worked at in recent years.

I thank both Senators for the opportunity to place on record the Government's commitment to CIE, the parent body of the holding company for Iarnród Éireann, Bus Átha Cliath and Bus Éireann.

Mr. Cassidy

Are the Government committed to keeping the Sligo line open?

Mr. Lyons

It is not the Government's job to keep any line open.

The Seanad ajourned at 3.20 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 17 December 1991.