Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I take this opportunity to welcome Deputy Farrell as Chair of the committee. I am delighted that not only has he joined the joined the committee but that he is now Chair. I also want to record my thanks to Senator Gerry Horkan who filled in so well and for such a long time.

I thank Mr. Meade and Mr. Kelly for attending. We know what happened with the timetable changes. We have been through that. The commuters have been through that. I welcome that Irish Rail has responded relatively quickly, to be fair. It is not an easy thing to change a timetable. It takes a lot to go in and change things in the first place. They have acknowledged that mistakes have made and now we have reverted back.

I also want to put on record the issue regarding the Balbriggan train at 3.59 p.m. and its impact on the students leaving Loretto Balbriggan who are decanted further up and down the line. If that could be looked at we would really appreciate it. Councillors Robert O’Donoghue and Corina Johnston and I have been in contact with Irish Rail about that.

The proposed hourly service to Belfast was at the root of the discommoding that arose with the timetable change after 26 August. Who was pushing for that hourly service? Was it Irish Rail or the NTA or did it happen on foot of a ministerial decision?