Multiple Gripes from a noob

[wolf99]

Hi All
As a new RUI user- longtime IE user- I have a list of gripes/questions to get off my chest.
Let me preface them by saying that I am thankfull for the train service from Sligo as it means I dont have to suffer the bus!!

1) Seriously, what is with the hour or so it takes to get from maynooth to connolly?!?!

2) Why are there still commuter cars operating on this line?!!! When they were put on "temporarily" before the new intercities arrived we were promised the intercities would replace them...yet they're still here. At the time IE was made VERY aware of the commuter's deficiencies.

3) Why is the catering car always on the intercities but never operational??

4) Severe lack of passing places. I was on a train about a week ago that arrived an hour late (subsequently missing my belfast connection) due to having to wait on 2 VERY late down trains.

5) Is it just me or do the trains on this line travel slower in general than other trains? Even the intercities in the Dublin area seem to travel faster and the belfast express could be travelling at warp speed compared to it.

6) Why does the Sligo train never seem to pull into P3? Even if P3 is empty, when P4 is in use it nearly always pulls into P1...

7) The socket power issue on the intercities. The sockets in the front/driving car always work, but its a smaller car, the rest very rarely work at this point. sometimes the ticket collectors will agree to go see if they can reset the car, but invariably they either cant, or it just trips again...

8) Is there any sort of a schedule as to when the Sligo line will be getting Wi-Fi? And why, if the trial on the cork line was successful enough for it to be introduced for the other lines, is it being reported that it may be 2013 before other lines see Wi-Fi?

9) Why does the cork line always get the good stuff? In a lot (not all) of publications, programmes etc, the interviewee chooses the Cork line as their fave. I would guess this is mostly because it is reported as having the best service (Ive never been on it so IDK). Seems it gets the best service because more folks use it because it gets the best service.... extending > if other lines got better service maybe user numbers would rise on those lines also??? It seems however that CIE never ascribes to this logic, instead preferring the opposite: the other lines dont do so well so we'll let them deteriorate and focus on the lines that are already doing well.
Never having used the Cork line this could be somewhat down to my perception and a case of the grass is always greener... maybe there's some happy juice in the air conditioning )

And the last one:

10) What's going on with the current works on sligo's Mac Diarmada station?
I hope they're not taking down the walls around it, there'd be some breeze cut across the platform then.... are they finally going to put a lid on the place?

Thanks for bearing with al those points! While some of them might seem like Im just having a go (maybe I am a bit) it would be great to get some answers!
Happy holidays