Labour Calls For Inquiry Into Bridge Collapse

A Labour TD has urged the Government to launch an inquiry into the collapse of a major rail bridge on Monday, which was inspected last week.

Labour Party Spokesperson on Transport, TD Tommy Broughan, called for a full review of Irish Rail's procedures for inspection of rail lines and especially bridges and viaducts, after it emerged an inspection of the Broadmeadow bridge had taken place last week.

There were around 60 passengers on board at the time while a packed northbound train carrying hundreds had recently also passed over the bridge.

About 90 trains normally pass over the viaduct every day and the incident has sparked demands from many quarters to urgently test all railway bridges around Ireland.

TD Tommy Broughan: "If, as Irish Rail claims, the Broadmeadow viaduct was inspected as recently as last week, then there is clearly something fundamentally wrong with the inspection system.

"It is not possible that the damage that led to the collapse of one of the piers could have occurred in the period between Tuesday and Saturday evening. If the cause was indeed erosion of the seabed, how was this not picked up in the inspection?"

Commuters who normally use the Belfast to Dublin rail line are being warned to add around 30 minutes to their journey time following the collapse of the line.

"This was a potentially catastrophic incident, and were it not for the vigilance of a train driver, this country could now be in the aftermath of an unimaginable disaster that might have taken the lives of several hundred people. As it is commuters from North Dublin, Meath and Louth face possibly months of serious disruption and inconvenience," TD Broughan added.

Iarnród Éireann said arrangements are in place to provide extra buses for passengers affected by damage on part of the Belfast-Dublin railway line.

However, the line is expected to be closed for up to three months.

Belfast Enterprise services to Dublin are running with passengers being transferred by bus between Drogheda and Connolly Station.

A special bus service will operate directly between Drogheda and Dublin Connolly. Rail tickets are valid on these services.

Customers from Dundalk, Laytown and Gormanston can connect to this service by using the Dundalk/Drogheda to Skerries rail services. This service will utilise Dublin Port Tunnel.

For Balbriggan/Skerries/Rush and Lusk commuters, Dublin Bus will provide an enhanced number 33 bus service and an enhanced peak-time route 33B service directly between Donabate and the City Centre. This will also use the Port Tunnel.

(DW/GK)