[Jehuty42]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0313/rail.html

The Government has approved a move which could lead to competition on Ireland's railways.
Today's Cabinet meeting agreed not to seek a further derogation from EU rules on rail market access, at the suggestion of Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.
Minister Varadkar is now to begin a consultation process on how to restructure Irish Rail as a result.

Big news, I think.

I hope I'm not breaking the new rules on posting links

[mickydoomsux]

Originally Posted by Jehuty42

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0313/rail.html



Big news, I think.

I hope I'm not breaking the new rules on posting links

Either RTE or Leo are badly behind on this story. There's already been a board set up within the company to sort out what's going to happen in 2013.

This has been known about since last year.

[etchyed]

Originally Posted by Jehuty42

Big news, I think.

I think not. Slightly more transparent accounting from Iarnród Éireann I'm sure, but I can't see private operators jumping at the opportunity to offer rail services here.

Originally Posted by mickydoomsux

Either RTE or Leo are badly behind on this story.

RTÉ. Varadkar has already mentioned this in public with the air that it's just a matter of course.

EDIT: Having just read the story, I actually disagree, mickydoomsx. The news is that the cabinet decision was made today. Reporting that news is not "badly behind", even if this has been being discussed for quite a while.

[Cookie_Monster]

consultation process on how to restructure Irish Rail

There's already been a board set up within the company to sort out what's going to happen in 2013

forgiven my skepticism but that just sounds like more of the same tbh, endless consulatation and committees

[mickydoomsux]

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

forgiven my skepticism but that just sounds like more of the same tbh, endless consulatation and committees

So management should go into it completely unprepared with no plan whatsoever instead?

[Judgement Day]

Management are well prepared - that's why the rush to scrap everything useful. Expect to see the remaining MkIIIs dispatched ASAP.

[Cookie_Monster]

Originally Posted by mickydoomsux

So management should go into it completely unprepared with no plan whatsoever instead?

well that seems to be the usual modus operandi, but it's been known about for an age

the basic plan goes back to 2001...

The first railway package consists of three directives (2001/12/EC, 2001/13/EC and 2001/14/EC) which were substantially amended in 2004 (second package) and 2007 (third package). Its purpose was to revitalise railway transport (still largely in the hands of state monopolies confined to their national markets) by gradually opening it to competition at Europe-wide level. The market for rail freight transport has been completely opened since 2007 and for international passenger services since January 2010.

[mickydoomsux]

Originally Posted by Cookie_Monster

the basic plan goes back to 2001...

Well, yeah...... that's what the whole "derogation" thing is about.

Have you actually got anything meaningful to contribute to the discussion besides the usual "durrrrrrrrrr, Irish Rail sux" stchick?

[Cookie_Monster]

Originally Posted by mickydoomsux

Well, yeah...... that's what the whole "derogation" thing is about.

Have you actually got anything meaningful to contribute to the discussion besides the usual "durrrrrrrrrr, Irish Rail sux" stchick?

I can give out about the government instead if you like?

[snickerpuss]

So what exactly is the point of dividing Irish Rail into two companies? Solely to facilitate private freight? I'm only going off the RTE article so just wondering.

[n97 mini]

This is likely to lead ultimatly to the separation of the company into an operator - running the trains - and an infrastructure company, which would own and maintain the tracks.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the ESB won't hand over ownership of the grid to Eirgrid as the union types don't want to, so what's the likelihood of something similar with IE?

[mickydoomsux]

Originally Posted by snickerpuss

So what exactly is the point of dividing Irish Rail into two companies? Solely to facilitate private freight? I'm only going off the RTE article so just wondering.

Allegedly it's to open the network up to anyone who wants to run trains, including passenger services.

Your private freight scenario is far more likely to be the reality of the situation because a private operator could actually stand to make a profit on it.

[thomasj]

Originally Posted by mickydoomsux

Allegedly it's to open the network up to anyone who wants to run trains, including passenger services.

Your private freight scenario is far more likely to be the reality of the situation because a private operator could actually stand to make a profit on it.

Woo hoo! uk style services and pricing

No wait!........

Actually realistically i cannot see any private companies wanting to invest in the irish railway network unless they are a major company from abroad.

Db or nr perhaps?

[mickydoomsux]

A private operator would only be interested in the potential big-earner lines.

So Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Belfast basically.

[Run_to_da_hills]

Originally Posted by Judgement Day

Management are well prepared - that's why the rush to scrap everything useful. Expect to see the remaining MkIIIs dispatched ASAP.

And 8200's