Dublin-Belfast rail line terrorism threat
Asked about the threat’s economic impact and jobs affected, the Minister said quantification would not be useful and reported an IRA statement denying danger to passengers and crews. He described bus and rail alternatives via Dundalk and Portadown, expected services to return to normal, while Barry challenged the denial and stressed the history of attacks and passengers’ safety.
asked the Minister for Transport if he will quantify, in economic terms, the effect of the recent threat of terrorist activity on the Dublin-Belfast rail line and in particular the number of jobs affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Comment on this
I do not think it would serve any useful purpose to attempt to quantify the economic effects of this threat. I understand that the IRA have today issued a statement to a Belfast newspaper to the effect that there is no threat to the lives of the crews and passengers travelling on the Dublin-Belfast line.
Comment on this
Does the Minister not consider that statement to be absolute nonsense? Has he not some responsibility as well as the people north of the Border to ensure that people travelling with CIE travel in safety between Dublin and Belfast?
Comment on this
At the moment alternative arrangements have been made for passengers. The CIE train goes as far as Dundalk. Passengers are taken by bus to Portadown and from there on by train. We should all be welcoming the statement that the threat, if it ever existed, has been removed. We can only go by newspaper comments. At least one newspaper comment said that a threat existed. Now a statement has gone out today saying that no threat existed. I expect that things will be back to normal now.