Media reports today that Irish Rail was allegedly warned about damage to part of the structure of the Broadmeadow Bridge five days before the bridge collapsed are very disturbing.

The reported warnings prior to the bridge’s collapse from a senior Malahide Sea Scout leader raise profound questionmarks over the safety and inspection procedures that are currently in place at Irish Rail. I believe that Irish Rail must now urgently and comprehensively respond to these serious allegations. The Department of Transport’s rail investigation unit should also fully investigate the sequence of events including this apparent phone call by a concerned member of the public to alert Irish Rail to potential erosion damage at the bridge.

Following the expenditure of around €1.1 billion on railway programmes over the past ten years and after this latest report on the potential Broadmeadow disaster, we must clearly look at the safety culture within the Irish Rail organisation and the performance of the Railway Safety Commission itself. The impact of any government imposed budgetary cutbacks on Irish Rail must also be examined in the context of this near catastrophe.

A number of constituents have also been in touch to ask whether Irish Rail could construct a temporary pontoon-type bridge at the Broadmeadow location that would at least provide a single track to allow some reduced speed rail services on the critical Northern Line. Mr. Barry Kenny of Irish Rail has now informed me that he has referred this suggestion to Irish Rail engineers to examine its feasibility.