[Thomas J Stamp]

The Templemore Train Users Group started last year when a delegation from the town met with Myles McHugh of Irish Rail

Last night Mr McHugh met us again at our inviation to discuss the propsed new train timetable for the town.

Over 130 people attended and a presentation was made by Councillor Jim O'Shea. The meeting was chaired by Joan Byrne Lord Mayor of Templemore and a new committee was formed which consists of 17 members representing passengers, businesses, retired people, voluntary groups and other organisations who depend greatly on our train service.

Mr O'Shea presented Mr McHugh with a draft timetable which Mr O'Shea assured was from a source within IE and which had been circulated. Mr McHugh said that the timetable was "Inaccurate, misleading and incorrect" and that he would like to know where it came from.

It was discovered at the meeting that people drive form as far as Nenagh to catch the 6.57 train from Templemore, which is the only train the arrives into Heuston before 9.00am and which, amazingly, faces cancellation.

We will be calling upon today IE to meet with us again next week as a matter of urgency next week and we are adamant that the exisitng service to and from Templemore be maintained.

We were informed of some other interesting items:

The new timetable will be finalised in three weeks, yet Mr McHugh was unable to confirm or deny any times for us.

The annual ticket from Templemore, Thurles and Cork to Dublin is €3000, form Ballybrophy it is €2500 ie Templemore will pay for four trains a day cork gets an hourly service at the same price.

I am on the committee as secretary and i look forward to meeting Mr McHugh next week along with the rest of the committee.