Cork rail services return to normal as action ends

Normal rail services have resumed in Cork after unofficial industrial action disrupted trains for a second day running, Iarnród…

Normal rail services have resumed in Cork after unofficial industrial action disrupted trains for a second day running, Iarnród Éireann has said.

Trains running from Kent station and services on the Cork-Cobh route have now resumed.

The company said the "lightning unofficial industrial action" by a small group of track maintenance staff was responsible for the disruption.

Line maintenance staff took action yesterday after they were asked to carry out duties they believe not to be in line with their responsibilities.

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Passengers were transferred by bus between Cork city and Mallow for the duration of the stoppage.

It is understood line maintenance staff downed tools yesterday after being asked to do work they claimed was 'line renewal' rather than line maintenance.

But John Keenan of Iarnrod Éireann said the renewal work had been going on for years and rosters relating to the disputed work had been issued in July with no objections lodged.

"What appears to be at play here is that somebody in Cork has decided there may be an opportunity to lever additional pay for renewals work so it's not so much that they are objecting to working on renewals work, they're saying that they want additional pay," he said.

Further information on rail services is available from Iarnrod Éireann's customer service line at 1850 366 222 .

Additional reporting: PA