Deputy Broughan said, "At yesterday’s Dail Transport Committee, members heard evidence of the near disastrous incident on the Northern rail line when the Broadmeadow Bridge collapsed. Some of the features of the rail safety system that were discussed at the Committee yesterday were very disturbing. I therefore welcome the commitment by Irish Rail that it will review and reform its inspection regime following the Broadmeadow collapse.

"Incredibly, at the same time yesterday a horrific collision occurred between a Luas tram and bus in Dublin where a number of commuters where seriously injured. Yet again, we were very fortunate that there were no fatalities at the collision site. I understand that there will now be five separate investigations into the crash including by Dublin Bus, Luas operator Veolia Transport, the Railway Safety Commission, the Department of Transport’s Rail Accident Investigation Unit and An Garda Siochana.

"Following the Broadmeadow Bridge collapse, major question marks remain over the performance of the Railway Safety Commission and the failure of the government to properly resource this critical rail safety agency. The systems for checking and monitoring safety across the whole transport sector also appear to be ad hoc and very disjointed. I have proposed on a number of occasions that the Road Safety Authority be given an overarching statutory role in the investigation of all road collisions including those involving public transport vehicles along the lines of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board.

"I have now asked the Dail Transport Committee on behalf of the Labour Party to begin an urgent review of the systems and safety culture that is in place across the transport sector in the light of these two recent near disasters."