Subject:
Iarnrod Eireann decide to ditch 46% of rail freight -
govt. must veto decision
Date:
06 December 2001 18:06
Thursday, 6th December, 2001
STAGG DEMANDS GOVT. VETO TO PREVENT FRIEGHT DISASTER
Labour Party Spokesperson on Public Enterprise, Emmet Stagg,
yesterday demanded that the Government issue a policy
directive to Iarnrod Eireann preventing the transfer of 46% of its
freight business from rail to road.
"I understand that the Board of Iarnrod
Eireann today voted to slash its rail
freight business by nearly half.
This is a disastrous decision with immense
environmental and transport consequences.
If the Government stands idly by it
will be complicit in this act of environmental
vandalism."
"This
decision has to be stopped. The Government,
as shareholder in Iarnrod Eireann, must issue a
policy directive preventing this. It
goes against everything we signed up for at Kyoto, it flies in
the face of a recent EU White Paper on sustainable transport
and it is contrary to the national interest."
"This
morning, Labour leader, Ruairi Quinn, raised this matter in the Dail
with the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach informed Dail Eireann that
the Government does not support the proposal. Well
now its time that the Taoiseach put his words into action and
vetoed the proposal. It is an
acid test of this Government's commitment to sustainable
transport. If the Government fails to take action it will be a
willing partner in this act of lunacy."
Deputy Stagg
also called on the Government to
immediately provide State incentives to Iarnrod
Eireann to support freight movement by rail.
"It is common practice across the EU to provide State aid
to rail companies in respect of freight distribution.
In the UK, Denmark, France, Germany and Austria,
significant initiatives that directly benefit rail
companies. Iarnrod Eireann should also receive similar
incentives from the Government." "The transfer of 46% of Iarnrod Eireann freight to
the roads will create chaos. It
will inevitably lead to extra deaths on the roads and will cause
significant social and environmental damage.
It could also lead to the loss of 300 jobs within the company.
It must be resisted," concluded Deputy Stagg.
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