The failure of Iarnród Éireann to develop the regional aspect of its services in recent years is completely at odds with the much-quoted Government policy of trying to achieve more balanced regional development, according to a new rail lobby group, Platform 11.
Established by a group of concerned rail-users earlier this year, it intends to hold a series of public information meetings around the State and "to inspire and sow the seeds" for better use of the railway network.
It will also question decisions regarding rail transport, ranging from timetabling to track upgrading and utilisation of stock. Some trains run empty; others lie idle for hours. Unlike most EU countries, Ireland has no independent rail-users' group or rail watchdog.
A spokesman for the group accused Iarnród Éireann of pursuing "PaleRail" policies at the expense of regional development. He pointed out that many provincial railway lines are either under-utilised or closed in everything but name - more than 150 miles of railway are in situ but without trains.
The lack of regional train services linking Limerick, Galway and Waterford is quite remarkable, the group claims. To travel by rail from Galway to Limerick (barely 70 miles apart) you currently have to go via Portarlington and Limerick Junction, a trip of over 175 miles that takes around four hours.
The service from Limerick to Waterford, which was under threat last year, has just one train a day. There are many more examples, it states.
Platform 11 has renewed calls for the reopening of the Atlantic Rail Corridor between Sligo and Limerick and on to Waterford and Rosslare.
"CIE/IÉ's Harcourt Street disaster has been exported to the West of Ireland, and as in Dublin, taxpayers will have to fork out pointlessly to put it to rights at some future date," the spokesman said.