Committee to advise on improving rail services

A committee of "three wise men" is to be set up to advise the Government how operations at Iarnrod Eireann can be improved.

The committee will examine how best to implement improvements in rail safety and the standard and quality of the rail service. It will also advise on management structures and industrial relations. The establishment of the committee comes against a background of industrial unrest at Iarnrod Eireann, and reflects Government concern over its planned £1 billion investment in the company over the next six years.

The committee comprises Mr Bill Attley, former general president of SIPTU; Mr Kevin Bonner, consultant and former secretary general of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and Mr John Dunne, chairman of IDA Ireland and former director general of IBEC. It will be assisted by Dr Edmond Molloy, of Advanced Organisation and Management Development Ltd. The group is to report to the Minister, Ms O'Rourke, within three months.

The Minister said the decision to establish the committee followed recent discussions between the Government, social partners and the chairman of CIE. The Government has committed itself to expand Iarnrod Eireann over the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, with major investments in safety, the physical capacity of the network and improvements in the quality, speed and reliability of services.

However, recent industrial unrest, particularly the train drivers' disputes, has caused the Government to be concerned that the existing management structures at the company have the capacity to manage the change envisaged under the investment programme.

"I believe that to achieve the full benefits from this investment, the Government needs to be sure that all the parties in Iarnrod Eireann will deliver an expanded and superior rail service for the customer," Ms O'Rourke said.

"With this unprecedented spending, the customer expects improvements in terms of safety and standard and quality of service. We must deliver on this. Against the background of recent concerns about industrial relations difficulties and given the way the company is currently structured and organised, the group will look at the current industrial relations environment within the company and the challenges facing management, staff and unions to achieve maximum value for the customer and the taxpayer."

The group will be asked to make recommendations regarding the improvements to be made in the organisation and management of the company "in an accelerated manner", she said.