Closures of Dublin’s Port Tunnel because of system failures were today branded unacceptable and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
While the National Roads Authority (NRA) moved to quash fears about safety standards in the tunnel at an Oireachtas committee Fine Gael hit out over its apparent faulty operating system.
It comes just weeks after the €750 million facility was shut down for hours because of an electrical problem.
NRA Chief Executive Fred Barry admitted technical failures because of the Scada operating system but Fine Gael asked how it could be giving problems after just 15 months.
“What sort of system is it that you’ve bought that has given you that problem?,” the party’s transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd asked.
“The tunnel was built for 100 years. We’re into it now 15 months. You’ve had plenty of closures. You’ve had five as a result of this system. I find it unacceptable that this is going on, it is costing taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Dublin City was gripped by traffic gridlock for hours last month after a systems failure forced the tunnel’s closure. Admitting there were technical concerns, Mr Barry said the NRA was in dispute with the Port Tunnel’s contractor over a number of issues but declined to go into detail before the committee.
He said the contractor had accepted blame for faulty fans and had agreed to replace 34 at around €25,000 each at its own expense.
“The Scada system is an unsatisfactory system, that is our view,” he said. “The issues are really to do with reliability and durability. “We are in dispute with the contractor over a large number of issues.
“There is a very major dispute resolution process going on.” Safety standards at the tunnel have come under the spotlight recently after an RTE programme claimed operators failed to close the facility when problems with ventilation fans and cameras arose.
Asked by committee chairman Frank Fahey of Fianna Fail if motorists were safe travelling through it, Mr Barry said: “This tunnel is one of the first tunnels in Europe to be designed, built and operated under the EU Tunnel Safety Directive. “It is ahead of other tunnels in Europe.”
Meanwhile the cost of travelling through the tunnel for car commuters could be slashed in the future. Following a question from Fianna Fail’s Michael Kennedy about the high charges for cars at peak times, Mr Barry said the NRA was constantly reviewing the issue. “We may see some changes in the future,” he said. “We would like to see full use being made of the tunnel.”
PA