Irish Rail gives update on Mayo train catering request

Irish Rail has told Castlebar councillors that there will continue to be no catering for passengers on the Westport to Dublin train route.

The chief executive of Irish Rail responded to a letter from councillors who were seeking to have catering restored to the busy service.

“They are not able to supply a cup of tea or a sandwich on the train from Westport to Dublin. They can supply them on the Cork one, and the Kerry one, and all of the rest,” Cllr Michael Kilcoyne told a meeting of Castlebar Municipal District.

He expressed his anger that their pleas were ignored.

“This is an organisation that’s after writing off €50m, no heads rolling, nothing happening. And they can’t even organise a cup of tea on a local train,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.

Officials from Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority were recently questioned at the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee over how €50m was wasted on a contract for a new train traffic management system.

Members said the €50m represented one of the biggest write-downs in public money ever to come before the committee.

“It’s time some of them were taken out altogether because they are really a liability," Cllr Kilcoyne added.

Cllr Ger Deere said Deputy Alan Dillon raised the train catering matter in the Dáil two years ago and was dismissed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

“Micheal Martin said, ‘Let the people of Mayo have a good bowl of porridge in the morning. That’s the kind of insult you get,” said Cllr Deere.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.