Sir, – I note that, finally, the last daily train from Europort to Dublin has been rescheduled to depart after the arrival of the daytime ferries from Wales. However, intending travellers take care, because although Rosslare is the only year-round Irish ferryport served by rail (Dún Laoghaire is summer only), its station platform is now 10 minutes walk from the harbour building, where there are no train staff, no departure screens and no ticket machines.
This re-scheduled Rosslare train departure, from a lonely unattended platform, is on a spartan inner-suburban rail car set (a Dart with toilets) which has no trolley service and no ticket collector or guard.
Should foot passengers wish to depart this country via rail through Rosslare, they will find that the first train of the day arrives three hours after the morning boats leave, that there are no longer direct Rosslare buses from Dublin and that the trains from Waterford and Limerick last arrived nearly four years ago.
Any traveller who wishes, or has to, enter Ireland as a surface foot passenger will find that, after experiencing appropriately and frequently scheduled British rail links serving both Pembroke Dock and Fishguard, and after enjoying the very comfortable amenities offered by both ferry companies, on arrival at Rosslare Europort they get a fleeting insight into what it must feel like to be a refugee.
It is perhaps more than a coincidence that, although there has been consistent year-on-year growth in rail passenger travel in England, Wales and Scotland, and record growth in Northern Ireland, that positive pattern is not reflected south of the Border, where, apart from a growing population, there is (uniquely) free travel for residents in their mid-60s and over. Recently Irish Rail retired an entire fleet of 50 diesel rail cars, after only 12 years in service, as redundant and troublesome (well before their life expectancy).
It might seem that Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (and The Gathering), would prefer the foot-passenger Diaspora to gather via international portals other than Rosslare Europort – and to not travel by rail. This is a pity given the current rail renaissance throughout Europe. – Yours, etc,
MICK O’GORMAN,
Ballybrittas,
Tagoat, Co Wexford.