Iarnród Éireann and, more particularly, the Government on which it depends for critical funding are now facing stark choices if Ireland is to retain much of what's left of its once extensive railway network.
Publication by The Irish Times of a comprehensive review of the State-owned rail company's financial sustainability, compiled in collaboration with the National Transport Authority, has brought the issue to a head – as, indeed, was bound to happen given the accumulated losses of €150 million it has racked up since 2007 as a result of cuts in the Government's annual subvention during the era of austerity. If Iarnród Éireann continues to incur losses, "it will become insolvent", the review bluntly warns.
Under the most pessimistic scenario, with no additional funding, much of the existing rail network would have to be closed, leaving only Dart, other commuter services in Dublin and Cork and inter-city services to Belfast, Cork and Limerick.
Even if the Government was to make up the company’s deficit and give it a further €600 million-plus for much-needed investment over the next five years to ensure rail safety and reduce journey times, there would still be line closures – specifically, Limerick-Ballybrophy and Limerick Junction-Waterford, which both have infrequent trains and extremely low levels of patronage.
Any proposals for widespread closures, particularly west of the Shannon, would be politically sensitive, to say the least. The Government’s programme even includes a bald pledge – inserted at the insistence of Independent minister of state Seán Canney – to examine an expansion of the Western Rail Corridor north of Athenry, Co Galway, saying that “no measures will be taken to prevent the future reactivation of this corridor for rail use”.
Yet the rail review spells out that the first phase from Ennis to Athenry, opened in 2010 at a cost of €100 million, is not viable for the simple reason that it is not used. It would be cheaper to transport the relatively few passengers by taxi. Indeed, the entire line from Ennis to Sligo should be turned into a greenway route.
Trains are the most comfortable form of transport, but they are facing stiff competition from roads and especially motorways. With journey time by road between Dublin and Belfast reduced to just an hour and a half, compared to more than two hours by train, it is no wonder that many travellers have taken to their cars. Similarly, inter-city buses using the motorways have robbed rail of passengers by offering much cheaper fares as well as shorter journey times.
If the Government really wants to retain the railways, which score very well in terms of low carbon emissions, it really has no option but to find the money that is needed to ensure passenger safety and speed up trains to make the remaining network viable.