[MrX]

It comes down to the fact that Iarnrod Eireann simply cannot get the fine detail right EVER.

There's no quality control or consistency of service. One train does things right, the next doesn't. Some trains have catering some don't it's totally random.

Announcements are just symptomatic of a culture within that organisation. It simply does not give a damn about those details. The attitude seems to be 'aren't you lucky we let you on the train at all'.

I've actually stopped using Irish Rail after a few bad experiences on the Cork-Dublin line. I now drive or fly instead. I'd rather put up with the traffic the deal with not knowing if I have a pre-booked seat, having no idea if I can eat or not and having to put up with unemptied stinky toilets.

Sadly, they're a joke of an operation despite all the recent investment. No amount of shiny new trains will fix the lack of competent management and the lack of customer focus.

It's not really improving and I doubt it ever will. Sure the trains are a bit more frequent, but they're as slow as and as badly run as ever.