Council urged to oppose any plan to axe rail services
WEXFORD County Council is being asked to come out in opposition to any plans to axe rail services south of Gorey.
Two councillors were due to bring motions before the monthly meeting yesterday (Monday) afternoon, urging fellow members and the council as a whole to protest at any such move by Iarnrod Eireann.
A review by the National Transport Authority, established to look at possible solutions to the rail company’s sustainability, says Iarnród Éireann needs more than €640 million in extra finance over the next five years to tackle solvency issues and as compensation for past under-funding.
One of the suggestions is to curtail rail services south of Gorey, leaving the south of the county isolated from the rail network.
In his motion, Independent Cllr Davy Hynes wants the council to call on the Minister for Transport ‘ to ensure that Iarnrod Eireann does not under any circumstances discontinue the rail link to Enniscorthy, Wexford town and Rosslare’.
Cllr Hynes said the county is already neglected and such a move would further hamper the county in the drive to create jobs, provide better educational opportunities and develop tourism as well as setting back any plans to develop Rosslare Europort.
Sinn Fein’s Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin’s motion calls on the council to express its alarm ‘at the possibilitiy of the severing of County Wexford’s rail serivce south of Gorey’.
It urges Irish Rail to maintain, expand and develop the exisiting rail services in the county, inclduing those at Rosslare Europe and calls for immediate top-level talks between Wexford’s public representatives, concerned groups, the minister for transport and Iarnrod Eireann to counter the proposal before it gains any traction.
Wexford Chamber has already come out very strongly against any cuts to the service, saying the existing rail service from Rosslare to Dublin was an absolute necessity for the county.
‘ This rail line is one of the county’s most important infrastructural assets, as it enables both business commuters and tourists to conveniently travel between Dublin and Wexford on a daily basis. I am calling upon our local government representatives to secure the investment that will be required to protect this valuable link to the capital, ’chamber president Karl Fitzpatrick told this newspaper.
‘Furthermore, Wexford Chamber believes that a direct route from Wexford town to Dublin would significantly increase the number of passengers using this service, establishing a profitable route for Irish Rail,’ he said.