Railway Safety Commission failed to do its Duty "because it could not employ enough Staff"

Critical safety checks on Ireland's railway system have not been carried out for the past three years, because the official body charged with the inspections did not have enough staff.

According to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper, Iarnród Éireann (Ireland's state-owned railway company) "admitted that its inspection regime - covering more than 1200 bridges - would need to be reviewed after one of the busiest rail lines in the country collapsed into the sea last week". (see my entries of August 22nd, 23rd & 26th)

The Railway Safety Commission (RSC) has revealed that it was "too busy approving new rail projects to carry out planned safety checks on existing lines". It was not employing enough staff and apparently "only able to recruit the full complement of safety inspectors this year".

The RSC is charged with ensuring that Iarnród Éireann and other operators perform to the highest safety standards. But it has emerged that just half of the necessary staff were in place to cope with the huge workload of checking safety systems.

The Irish Independent also reports that:

• The RSC has warned about a lack of inspectors since it began its operations in 2006.
• It said this "lack of resources" prevented it from "devoting the time we would wish" to safety checks.
• It had just four inspectors responsible for almost 2000 km of rail lines and hundreds of bridges until this year.
• Only in 2009 could it recruit an additional three inspectors, bringing the total employed to seven.

As I have reported here earlier (see my entry of August 22nd), the Broadmeadow viaduct, which crosses open water in North-Dublin, collapsed into the sea despite being passed as "safe" following not one, but - as it has now emerged - two inspections by Iarnród Éireann engineers.

According to the Irish Independent, "the company stands by its inspection regime" and is "defending a decision to pass the structure as safe", despite having been told by members of the Malahide Sea Scouts (referred to originally by an Iarnród Éireann spokesman as "a member of the public") that one of the supporting piers was damaged.

The paper also reports that the collapsed pier that caused the viaduct to fall into the water will not be rebuilt. Instead, rail engineers are planning to "strengthen the line", whatever this means.

Serious questions have been raised over how a supposedly 'safe' bridge could suddenly fall into the sea after two inspections.
As additional details emerge about the incident and the more than lax inspection regime of RSC and Iarnród Éireann, it becomes clear that we are unveiling another major Irish scandal here.

There are further concerns about the general safety on Ireland's rail network, especially as the Railway Safety Programme was extended from five to seven years in an effort to reduce costs in last year's Budget.

Ensuring that bridges, viaducts, railway lines, level crossings and all other pieces of Ireland's rail infrastructure are safe is a key plank of the RSC's brief.
Last year, it also approved 57 infrastructure projects, ranging from construction of new bridges to the approval of new Luas (Dublin's city tram) extensions, which led to the postponement of vital inspections.

"The number of railway projects that required RSC approval meant that we were able to commit less time to performance auditing and monitoring than we would have wished," the inspection body warned in its 2008 report.
"A safety management system is only as effective as its implementation. Assessing the railway undertakings' safety case compliance is an essential part of the RSC's work, but lack of resources has, in the past, prevented us devoting the time we would wish to this task."

Fergus O'Dowd, TD (left), Transport spokesman for the main opposition party Fine Gael, said that the Railway Safety Programme had seen its funding cut, and that there is "a lack of accountability" in relation to the Broadmeadow inquiry.
"They're the regulator of the industry, and the guarantor of safety on the trains. I would be very concerned," he said.

Under the Railway Safety Act 2005, Iarnród Éireann is required to commission an independent audit of its safety management system every four years. The next audit is scheduled for 2010.
It will - among other issues - consider if inspections of the Broadmeadow viaduct were regular enough, and if an underwater survey of the pier should have been conducted.

Iarnród Éireann and the RSC are also expected to appear before the Dáil Transport Committee next month to answer questions about safety.

In my opinion a full and independent inquiry into the incident and into the general safety of the Irish railway network is urgently required. On its own Iarnród Éireann can no longer be trusted.

The Emerald Islander

Building in Cork City collapsed

While Ireland's government is crumbling at the edges and the coalition is close to collapse (see my entry of August 25th), the country itself is already collapsing and falling to pieces bit by bit.

No, I am not referring to the banks this time. They are holed below the waterline and sinking slowly, but steadily. And no adult alive today who has a working brain and seen and experienced the absolute crazy, irresponsible and ruthless attitude and behaviour of our banks will ever trust them again. (Any old box or mattress is a much better and safer place for your money than the ugly temples of silly greed and certain doom...)

But as I said, I am not writing about the banks today. When I say that the country is falling to pieces, I mean it literally.

The latest episode in this new series of contemporary Irish 'entertainment' did happen in Cork, Ireland's second-largest city, where a complete multi-story city building has suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed yesterday (photo left).

The incident happened in Castle Street, right in the city, and it is a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured when the house collapsed into the street without warning.

The only 'casualty' was a small silver-coloured car that was parked right in front of the house, which collapsed on top of it and made it a complete insurance write-off. (see photo right)

The building, which was in a row of houses and connected to two other buildings to the left and right, was undergoing renovation for some time.

Buildings and offices on Castle Street have been evacuated and traffic diversions are in place in the area.

Gardaí in Cork are puzzled by the incident, and a full investigation is expected to take place.

This is the second time within one week that a substantial construction in Ireland has collapsed suddenly and without any apparent reason.
Last Friday evening a 20-metre-long section of the railway viaduct across the Broadmeadow estuary near Malahide station in the North of Dublin also collapsed without warning. (see my entries of August 22nd, 23rd & 26th)

In contrast to many other countries, Ireland does not have a national Department for Buildings and Construction. This leads to the ridiculous situation that there are hundreds of different rules and regulations for different kinds of buildings and structures, often very different from one local authority to the next.
At the same time Ireland's planning law and planning process is among the most complicated and bureaucratic in the world.

If we want to see some progress eventually, this has to stop. We have to streamline planning and building regulations on a national level, with the same rules applying equally to everyone. And when it comes to buildings and other structures, the element of safety and solidity has to come above all other concerns.

Even though I am not much involved with the construction industry or property business, I have seen over the years too many houses and other buildings that I - as a layman - would regard as unsafe or at least critical. They are still in place, and unchanged, and perhaps other collapse cases waiting to happen.

There is no inspection of buildings in Ireland, but such takes place in most continental countries, where buildings do not suddenly collapse. Where and when people take care, things work well, are functioning and satisfactory for all.
But in ridiculous banana republics like Ireland no one seems to care any more, especially not for the common good. Most people are just looking after 'No. 1' (themselves), and an incompetent government, hand-in-glove with a sluggish and self-absorbed bureaucracy, has no interest in the common good either. As long as our ministers, TDs and civil servants receive their exorbitant salaries, 'allowances' and - eventually - pensions, they don't care for anything else.

One of the recommendations of 'An Bord Snip (Nua)' is the complete abolition of the Department of the Gaeltacht, Rural & Community Affairs, whose few responsibilities could easily be taken over by other existing government departments.
This is one of the few recommendations of Colm McCarthy's four-men commission I applaude and fully agree with.
It also means that we could fill a soon empty space in the cabinet with something new and more useful than the Gaeltacht. Why not create a new Department of Construction and Housing and give it responsibility for every house, building and structure in the country?
Many other countries have such a department, and it is more than time for Ireland to follow suit, unless we want to hear of ever more collapsing buildings on a regular basis.

The Emerald Islander

"Cosmetic, rather than structural..." - indeed

A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann (Ireland's state-owned railways) has declared that an underwater inspection of the railway viaduct that collapsed last Friday close to Malahide in Co. Dublin (see my entries of August 22nd & 23rd) was "carried out in line with regulations" three years ago.

Barry Kenny explained that underwater inspections on all rail bridges and related structures are carried out every six years, apparently in line with the recommendations of the Railway Safety Commission.

As reported, last Friday evening a 20-metre-long section of the rail viaduct across the Broadmeadow estuary (photo), north of Malahide station, collapsed into the water shortly after a passing train driver had noticed damage on the line.

Iarnród Éireann confirmed today that concern had been expressed by "a member of the public" on Monday, August 17th about "erosion on the viaduct".

In response an engineer (the one mentioned and referred to in my entry of August 23rd) carried out an inspection the following day - Tuesday, August 18th - on the basis of the reported concern.
"He found that the markings were cosmetic, rather than structural," says Barry Kenny.

He emphasises that "the individual who contacted the company referred to markings on the pier, but did not refer to a change in the water flow". (A report telling a different story has appeared in today's edition of The Irish Times.)

Once again Iarnród Éireann is trying to re-assure Ireland's rail passengers and the general population that there is no reason to be worried.
The company provides all sorts of detailed information, but does not answer the main questions that are on everyone's mind.

It is simply not believable that a solid concrete structure could be fine and in perfect order on a Tuesday, and then collapse on the following Friday, only three days later.

One has to ask oneself if one can in future believe anything that Iarnród Éireann is saying.

The state-owned, run-down and loss-making Irish railway company has long been neglected by successive Irish governments (of various party structure), while its employees enjoy their safe and cosy jobs and think that the railway is simply there to provide them with a good living.

Would anyone in Iarnród Éireann have a look at other countries, where railways are doing well and are run for the benefit of passengers instead of its staff, they could learn a thing or two and begin to operate a decent railway system in Ireland once again.

But as things are at present, Iarnród Éireann is a sad and typical example of the state Ireland, its economy and its political system are in.
The collapsed viaduct in Co. Dublin speaks for itself and is a monument for the company's total ignorance and failure.
And the weak attempts of explanation offered by Mr. Barry Kenny only add insult to injury. The people of Ireland might be in general a bit gullible, but most of them are not stupid.
And certainly not yours truly,

The Emerald Islander
(a regular user of Iarnród Éireann)

New Hygiene Guidelines for Irish Hospitals

Public hospitals and other health facilities in Ireland have one year to comply with a new set of mandatory hygiene standards that were published today. And to begin with, they have now six months to "produce an analysis of how they are currently complying or not complying with the standards".

The Health Information & Quality Authority (HIQA) will conduct both announced and unannounced inspections "to ensure that all hospitals meet the twelve new standards".

They cover areas such as hand hygiene, medical device infections, antibiotic resistance, physical environment and disease control.
In other words, they demand behaviour that most people would regard as common sense.

Jon Billings, the HIQA's 'Director of Healthcare Quality' (now there is some title to behold!) says that "most of the standards are straightforward to implement with changes in culture, behaviour, planning, management and leadership".
Or, as I mentioned already above, by using simple common sense.

The first facilities to be "targeted" for inspections are expected to be Ireland's acute hospitals. But the system will also apply to GP and dental surgeries as well as community care facilities.

The HIQA will then "publish the findings on how the inspected institutions are complying with the new rules".

Well, this is just what we need, isn't it? Another quango full of overpaid bureaucrats, producing big reports that no-one will read or act upon. All financed by you and me - the Irish taxpayers.
And at the same time wards are closed because there are not enough doctors and nurses!

The interesting aspect is that private hospitals are exempt from the HIQA inspections. Another proof for the unfair and unacceptable two-tier system in Ireland's healthcare.

According to the government, "it is expected that private facilities will come under the HIQA inspection system when planned legislation, arising from the Commission on Patient Safety & Quality Assurance (another one of Bertie Ahern's useless quangos) comes into force".

And when that will be is anyone's guess. Given the usually slow speed with which Dáil Éireann progresses in normal legislation, it might not even happen in my lifetime.

The Emerald Islander