Vol. 496 No. 3
36 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her rail safety officer will investigate the serious overcrowding of passengers on the Maynooth suburban line which has resulted in passengers collapsing on journeys into Connolly Station; if passenger limits will be strictly imposed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22654/98]
129 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise whether her attention has been drawn to the serious and dangerous overcrowding of the commuter rail services from Maynooth to Dublin in the past six months; if she has received a communication from Iarnród Éireann in this regard; the proposals, if any, she has to address these issues as illustrated in a recent television news report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22871/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 129 together.
I have been assured by Iarnród Éireann that rail safety is the company's main priority. I am aware of the discomfort and delays which passengers have experienced recently on the Maynooth to Dublin rail service. The Department's railway inspecting officer — there will soon be two others — has been in contact with Iarnród Éireann regarding the potential safety implications of overcrowding.
The investment package, which was the bounty from Luas, will alleviate the current difficulties experienced by passengers. The measures being funded in the Maynooth corridor out of the £63 million include: extra rail cars, two additional services on the Maynooth line during morning and evening peak times, the doubling of the track between Clonsilla and Maynooth, resignalling of the Maynooth line and lengthening of station platforms. Iarnród Éireann has advised me that a comprehensive engineering assessment of the line between Maynooth and the city centre has been completed and additional rail cars will be in service shortly. The company will review the timetable in early January with a view to increasing the frequency of services. Luas gave rise to much angst——
It still does.
—but has produced this bounty of money. CIÉ would want to tell me the news before it tells the Deputy. I have no problem with that as I am able for it as I am for the Deputy. Quite an amount of that bounty will go to this line.
It is an ill wind which does not blow some good. I was active in seeking that bonus from the failed Luas proposal.
The Minister stated what will happen with the line. However, the problem is one of overcrowding. If the line was made of gold this would remain the problem due to the success of the service. Is there a limit on the number of people who can be packed into a carriage or who can stand in a carriage? My understanding is that Iarnród Éireann is suggesting it will fit as many people in as possible on suburban lines. People are fainting every morning on this train.
I have stated there will be extra services at peak times from early January. The Department's railway inspector who reports to me is discussing overcrowding with Iarnród Éireann as it is becoming an issue on main lines at peak times. I am awaiting further information from the inspector but I understand from preliminary discussions that he has been informed by the company that it operates what it says is a safe system.
Is there a limit on the numbers?
I have not got that information. Common sense would tell one how to operate this. Iarnród Éireann is faced with the dilemma of so many people seeking to get a train. The railway inspector is continuing to talk to the company about this issue.
Can we expect to see train packers — strong young men joining arms to pack passengers into trains as is the case in Japan? Will that be considered safe?
If one is going to have packers they would have to be men and women, according to Fine Gael's policy of political correctness.
That is according to the Minister's former rhetoric.
The Minister, without interruption. There is little time remaining and a number of Deputies wish to speak.
The Minister's rhetoric is catching up with her.
Never.
The Minister is supposed to be a role model.
I am delighted to be a role model but one gets there on merit and not because of one's sex.
That is what the Luas watchdog found out.
One gets there on merit and not because of one's sex. That is social engineering of the worst class. I constantly fought with the former Deputy, Niamh Bhreathnach, on this point. It nearly held up the reforming of the Government but that fell through with Deputy Spring and Fianna Fáil because of her insistence on this point and my disbelief in it. That will be in my book.
Deputy Stagg mentioned packers in a facetious way. I do not expect to see packers. I am sure the Deputy has used the underground in London and other cities. One has to squeeze in and hang on by one's bootstraps. The problem is arising on many routes and the inspector is raising this issue with Iarnród Éireann. I will come back to the House or to the Deputy with the results of these discussions.
As regards question No. 129, does the Minister accept that, given her reply to previous questions and action in this area in January, the conditions on the Maynooth line, particularly as regards safety, are unacceptable by national or international standards? Is she aware of the serious possibility of an accident between now and January which would put life and limb in danger? Can she give the House an indication of the measures she proposes to take to make it possible for passengers to travel in reasonable safety between now and January and to provide a reasonable quality of service in terms of trains which run on time?
The Minister stated that two extra services will be provided between Maynooth and Connolly station. Will this mean the Sligo line will stop at stations between Maynooth and Connolly station or will it go directly from Maynooth to Connolly station? In light of this report, will the £15 million still be spent on the Mullingar to Carrick-on-Shannon stretch of line?
I endorse Deputy Durkan's comments on the dangers of the line between Castle-knock-Clonsilla and Dublin. The situation is such that I am waiting for a telephone call or to hear on the news that someone has been killed or injured. Did the Minister see the recent RTE report showing people travelling on that line; getting on in Castleknock——
The Deputy should show some brevity as I wish to give the Minister an opportunity to reply.
These passengers experience danger on a daily basis.
I can convey the House's concerns to Iarnród Éireann. I do not have day to day operational responsibility for how many people travel on every train. It would not be possible for me to have such a responsibility. However, I have political responsibility which I am glad to assume and I am happy to answer appropriate questions. I will ask Iarnród Éireann to reply to Deputy Durkan.
Deputy Belton's first question is an offshoot of Deputy Stagg's question. I do not have the facts he asked for as I did not know he was going to raise that question. However, I will reply in writing to the Deputy. The £15 million still stands. For the first time, EU money is not being matched by CIÉ money but by Exchequer money.
Deputy Currie said that he is afraid to turn on the radio. I too worry constantly about safety and that is why I am determined to back this report. I would not be a proper Minister for Transport——
The Minister will have it on her conscience as would I if I did not ask the question.
The implementation of the safety report is my first priority. As regards the Deputy's perceived dangers on the line between Castleknock and the city centre, I will request Joe Meagher of Iarnród Éireann to reply to the Deputy.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
