Dáil debates

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Railway Safety Issues

1:35 pm

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This question relates to manual road crossings on the rail network. As has previously been outlined to the Deputy, matters relating to upgrading works at individual level crossings on the rail network are operational day-to-day matters for Iarnród Éireann. My Department is fully aware of the importance of railway safety and continues to provide for substantial Exchequer investment in railway safety measures, despite the significant financial challenges. The overall investment in railway safety measures is in excess of €1.5 billion since 1999 when the railway safety programme commenced. Investment in railway safety measures this year alone will be approximately €90 million. It is a matter for Iarnród Éireann to prioritise the use of these funds, based on appropriate risk assessments.

I understand from Iarnród Éireann that in the past 12 years, with an investment of in excess of €150 million, it has reduced the number of level crossings on the rail system from over 2,000 to just over 1,000 today. The total number of manually operated level crossings on the Iarnród Éireann network, defined as those where the operation of the crossing gates is the responsibility of the crossing user, is 814. The vast majority of these, 649, are field to field crossings, generally used for agricultural activities. There are a further 117 level crossings on private roads, with the remaining 48 on public roads. There are an additional 72 crossings on the network on public roads where operation of the crossing is manual, but this operation is conducted by Iarnród Éireann staff.

Iarnród Éireann is committed to an ongoing risk reduction programme at all manually operated level crossings. This programme is achieved through level crossing upgrading and improvements or the closure of the crossing, where practicable. The allocation of limited available expenditure on these level crossings is prioritised on a risk evaluated basis. Iarnród Éireann is actively looking at technological solutions for the improvement of safety at these manually operated level crossings as a means of optimising funding across the broad range of user operated level crossings on the network.

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