Local independent Barry Heneghan has sharply criticised Iarnród Éireann for what he perceived as “failure to properly engage with residents and commuters” during major works at multiple DART stations across the Northside.
The independent TD said that communities have been “left completely in the dark” despite claims that leaflets were distributed.
Heneghan specifically raised issues at Clontarf, Killester, Harmonstown, Raheny, Kilbarrack, Donaghmede, Howth Junction and Clongriffin DART stations.
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday (19), Heneghan stated, “there is a huge need for investment across DART stations in Dublin Bay North.
He said that residents were not consulted on the current changes to platforms, highlighting a meeting he attended in Donaghmede where none of the 150 residents present received a leaflet.
“These communities deserve honesty, respect and real consultation,” he said.
Heneghan said there was a variety of factors at play with dysfunction on the DART, including the ongoing accessibility failures in DART stations, with no communication when particular services are out of order.
“People with disabilities are arriving at stations only to discover that lifts are not working, because the stations are not updating their social media quickly. They then have to get back on the train and travel to another station. This is not acceptable in a modern public transport system,” he said.
Junior transport Minister Sean Canney said he would raise the issue with Iarnód Éireann, and would attempt to get to the bottom of the botched leaflet drops on the Northside.
Minister of State Canney acknowledged the concerns and committed to raising the matter directly with Iarnród Éireann, stating that he would seek clarification on the leaflet drops and the level of local engagement.
Heneghan said, “the Northside has been neglected for far too long. Stations on the Southside have proper shelters and upgrades, but many of ours do not.”
“Commuters who use Donaghmede, Kilbarrack and other stations every single day should have a greater say than an engineer who has never walked these platforms. Local knowledge matters. Accessibility matters. Transparency matters.”
The TD, who was elected to the Dáil this week last year, said that politicians find themselves in the firing line for problems they didn’t cause, and indeed, attempt to solve.
“At the next election, politicians will be the ones taking the brunt for poor public transport decisions. Yet when I send an email from the office of a TD, I cannot even get a basic answer on when or where a leaflet drop was carried out. That is not good enough.”