[Thomas J Stamp]

If the rationale for Irish Rail is to judge each line and make a call on this basis then they may shut the WRC today. It costs roughly the same as this line and has roughly the same passengers.

So, we shall see the closure of Ballybrophy-Limerick? Will we see the end of Limerick Junction to Waterford? Clonmel to Waterford? Where will they draw the line?

Will we see merely mainline routes servicing Dublin from Cork/Limerick/Galway/Sligo/Belfast and Wexford?

It is a disgrace, and a sick one, for Irish Rail to say that they have done anything to increase awareness of this line, nor done anything to improve the take up of services. For this to be the truth they could have started with running a service that actually caters to the demands of the people there. As with the Ballybrophy line and also with the Limerick Junction to Waterford line we have Trains running at the wrong times and in the wrong direction. Of course there is low take up, but that is because of Irish Rail intransigence and stupidity not to mention sheer incompetance.

Lying on your back and waving your legs in the air is not a rail strategy. Irish rail have committed the cardinal sin yet again - they have forgone their right to run the rail service in this state. If they cannot make a line work then THEY should be out of work. They have not only failed to prepare as Roy Keane would say - they have willingly sacrificed this line. If that will do this then they negate their right to run regional rail at all in this state.

Whilst the reopening of any line is to be welcomed - a vampire line is most unwelcome. I hope that the legions of policitians who rode on the WRC opening day and have not gone near it since will turn up in Wellingtonbridge tonight and berate Irish Rail mismanagment for their closing of this line to placate the egos and fantasies of well meaning but betrayed people, for here is the irony = the closure of this line for the reaons stated is the closure of the WRC and Ballybrophy and anywhere else Irish Rail Mismanagement can strike a line through.

This is the abandonment of regional rail in thios country, and for the reasons why they are doing it every one of them from Boardroom to Service Managers, should be ashamed of themselves.