Brian Leddin TD calls for urgent action to alleviate flooding at Ballycar on the Limerick to Galway rail line.
Irish Rail released a statement today [Saturday, 16th March] announcing the closure of the Limerick to Ennis line from Monday, 18th March. In recent days the flood waters at Ballycar have risen significantly and as a result the services between Limerick and Ennis will be suspended until further notice.
The TD for Limerick City has raised the issue a number of times in recent years with the Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works, Patrick O’Donovan TD.
“To date there has been little urgency on the part of the Minister, his Department or the OPW to resolve the issue. It is absolutely unacceptable that the fastest growing rail service in the country which connects the third and fourth largest cities will be closed indefinitely. This is despite multiple warnings and the solution and the costs having been identified a number of years ago”
“The repercussions extend far beyond the inconvenience to thousands of commuters, students and tourists. The closure highlights vulnerabilities in the Midwest region's transportation network and also erodes confidence in its reliability and resilience. This unreliability may become a significant deterrent for future investment in Limerick, Ennis and the Midwest if it is not addressed urgently.”
Comments