Category: Rail

Railway Safety Commission The Railway Safety Act established the Railway Safety Commission.  The Commission is an independent body.  Its functions are to foster and encourage rail safety, enforce the relevant legislation and investigate and report on railway incidents. The Commission may contract out certain of its functions subject to Departmental consent. It may enter agreements […]

Freight Rates and Fares The Board of CIE has powers to fix charges including fares, rates and tolls.  This covers the full range of services including passenger and freight services. The scale  of charges are to be submitted to the Minister for approval.  They may be amended from time to time.  The Minister may consider […]

Dublin Light Rail Act The Transport Dublin Light Rail Act 1996 provided for the establishment of the light railway system known as the Luas.  There are procedures for application for a light railway order.  The application is made to the Minister with details of the proposed order, books of reference and environmental impact assessment. Works […]

Speed General speed limits applicable to road traffic apply to light railways.  The Minister may make regulations prescribing speeds for light rail vehicles in particular places. Prior notice is to be given to the local authority or Garda Commissioner whose representations are to be taken into account. It is an offence for a person to […]

Nationalisation of CIE The Transport Act, 1950 nationalised CIE. It saw the government buying out the debenture stockholders at par by giving them three percent transport stock for the holdings. CIE would be liable in interest on the new transport stock and could borrow from the government if funds were inadequate. The ordinary shares were […]

Context The first railways in Ireland and Britain were constructed in the 1830s.  The middle of the 19th century saw an enormous expansion in the construction of railways.  The size of the rail network peaked in the first two decades of the 20th century.  After the First World War, the railways declined due to the […]

Foundation of State The railways came under government control at the outset of World War I.  The Irish Railways Executive Committee was established in 1916 and managed all Irish railways until 1921.  It was already clear by that stage that railways would no longer be profit making. The Provisional Government took over control of the […]

Background By 1880, there was over 2,000 miles of broad gauge (five foot three inches) in Ireland.  Large areas on the west coast had no coverage at all.  It is arguable that the railways had reached a commercially viable extent by 1880, which to some extent is reflected by the fact that many of the […]

Background The first basic tramways in Ireland were built in the 18th century for hauling coal and similar materials by horsepower. The first steam locomotives were invented in the early decades of the 19th century.  The first railway in the modern sense, was promoted in 1821 to bring coal from Durham to the coast.  In […]