Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support this Bill. We welcome it. I wish to take the opportunity to remember the Buttevant rail disaster that occurred on 1 August 1980, those who were injured in it and the 18 who died. This is pertinent to this legislation because the response to the disaster by the community, emergency services and Iarnród Éireann, or CIÉ at the time, was absolutely tremendous. The event still haunts the community of Buttevant and the wider area. It is appropriate that we are discussing legislation on railway safety and the reporting and investigation of serious accidents and incidents on certain railways. I pay tribute to everybody involved in the response to the disaster, which left so many people scarred. It is still remembered today.

I pay tribute to the workers in Irish Rail. I am a weekly user of rail services from Cork to Dublin and also a weekly DART user. At this time of Covid, I pay tribute to those who operate the railway service for us in very difficult circumstances. When I depart Mallow on a Tuesday morning, there is always great banter on the platform with the workers. They are always jovial and full of good humour. The same applies to the staff on the trains. They bring professionalism and friendliness to dealing with customers such as me in their daily work. We should remember this as something that is positive and contributes to society. What underpins it is the ethos of safety on the railway system.

I welcome this Bill. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, for her deliberations and introducing legislation that codifies and tidies up elements of railway safety in respect of investigations into serious accidents and incidents.

It is important that we have this legislation. I again pay tribute to everybody who was involved in the response 40 years ago to the Buttevant rail disaster. The people within the community and those who professionally responded to that disaster still carry the memories of that fateful day with them. It is important that we acknowledge their memories and also acknowledge the people who were injured and still bear the scars of that disaster.

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