This article is from page 2 of the 2006-07-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
CLARE’S deputy mayor has landed himself in hot water with Iarnrod Éireann for staging an “unsafe” photocall on the railway line in Ennis.
Brian Meaney’s publicity bid has been condemned by Iarnród Éireann as “grossly irresponsible”.
The Green Party councillor had his photo taken on a specially constructed “loco-cycle”, which he intended taking along the line north of Ennis, in a campaign to get government funding for the proposed Western Rail Corridor.
But Iarnród Éireann have condemned him for trespassing on the railway line and setting a bad example for young people.
“Trespass can kill, or maim and has done so many times in the past.
“It is the families and friends of the victims and our staff and not Cllr Meaney that have had to deal with such horrific incidents, so perhaps it is easier for him to disregard these concerns in his pursuit of publicity,” said Barry Kenny, the company’s manager of corporate communications.
“No young person seeing this ridiculous publicity stunt will differentiate between a line that is used, or disused and his actions appear to legitimise trespass of a similar nature amongst the more impressionable.”
Mr Kenny said that Cllr Meaney was “guilty, at the very least, of gross irresponsibility”.
Earlier this month, Cllr Meaney applied to Iarnród Éireann to travel north to Claremorris on the loco-cycle to highlight the need for the government to provide €74 million to allow works commence on the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor, the Ennis to Athenry line.
Mr Kenny said the company’s principal concern was not that there could have been track inspection or maintenance vehicles operating on a dormant line, like where Cllr Meaney had his photo taken, but the appalling example set by a public representative trespassing on a railway line.
Responding to the claims, Cllr Meaney said it was Iarnród Éireann who were irresponsble for allowing the line north of Ennis to deteriorate to its current condition.
“Mr Kenny mentioned the possibility of an inspection train.
“In fact, nothing can travel from the north into Ennis due to damage on the line at Ballyduff Bridge and there is no inspection train between the level crossing we were on and Limerick.
“I don’t encourage anyone to go on a railway line.
“I acknowlege that I trespassed on a disused line and if Iarnród Éireann wish to complain to the Gardaí, I would welcome it as an opportunity to highlight the company’s neglect of the line”, he said.