[18-3-2008 + 19-3-2008] 9:00 Dublin Sligo and 13:05 Sligo Dublin

[Mark Gleeson]

9 00 Sligo to Dublin, 13 05 Dublin to Sligo, Tuesday 18th & Wednesday 19th March by Corporate Communications

Iarnród Éireann advises customers that due to driver issues, the 09.00hrs Sligo to Dublin Connolly, and 13.05hrs Dublin Connolly to Sligo services, on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th March, will be replaced by bus transfers.

Iarnród Éireann apologises for the inconvenience caused.

[Thomas Ralph]

Driver strikes spreading to Sligo now?

[Mark Gleeson]

Thats a Connolly shift as far as we know

The roster is cyclic so the problems move around

[ThomasJ]

Fair play to them for informing us of this news. There was a severe lack of information on saint patricks weekend. Given that there is normally a seperate timetable for bank holiday weekends, where was the online information on paddys day?

With regards to the driver issue, are they still talking?

[Mark Gleeson]

There is a media blackout in place. I wouldn't call it talking whats ongoing

Fact is there aren't enough drivers to drive all the train, drivers have an entitlement of days off which Irish Rail can't provide

[ThomasJ]

Id hate to see what happens if drivers were to take holidays or sick leave. It is madness there is too much onus on drivers if you or i were told that some services you or i provided were dependent on us undertaking overtime surely we would not just accept it.

[Thomas Ralph]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Fact is there aren't enough drivers to drive all the train, drivers have an entitlement of days off which Irish Rail can't provide

Right but IÉ is prevented by unions from recruiting drivers who haven't worked through all the roles starting from scraping chewing-gum off the platform at Kilcoole, unless I'm mistaken...