Iarnrod Eireann accuses ILDA of staging publicity stunt at inquiry

Iarnrod Eireann has accused the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association (ILDA) of orchestrating a publicity stunt by walking out of an accident inquiry in Athlone yesterday.

The inquiry into an accident at Kiltoom level-crossing in Co Roscommon, on December 22nd, last year, was to have taken place at Athlone railway station. However, as the proceedings got under way, Mr Brendan Ogle, executive secretary of ILDA, and the train driver concerned issued a statement which said they were seeking legal advice, and both withdrew.

In a statement later, ILDA accused the Minister of State, Mr Joe Jacob, of misleading the Dail when he told it on Wednesday that Iarnrod Eireann had established already that the "immediate" cause of the accident was the failure of the driver to stop short of the gate.

The statement also criticised Iarnrod Eireann's alleged comments to a local newspaper on the cause of the accident and concluded that it was therefore not possible to take part in yesterday's hearing. Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Mr Ogle added that ILDA would be happy to co-operate with an inquiry by the rail safety inspector. In response, Iarnrod Eireann said submissions had been made by those involved in the accident to the district manager immediate inquiry into the incident.

Mr Barry Kenny, media and public relations manager at Iarnrod Eireann, told The Irish Times that the purpose of yesterday's hearing "was not about blame, it was about cause. It was about avoiding a repeat of the experience and moving on."