A Fianna Fail member of Wexford Corporation is to boycott the official opening of the town's new quay-front by the Taoiseach next week in a row over access for the disabled.
Cllr Dominic Kiernan claims enjoyment of the £15 million redevelopment of Wexford's quays - part of a £50 million investment - is being denied to those with mobility problems because Iarnrod Eireann will not facilitate wheelchair access across the railway line which separates the seaside amenity area from the coast road.
Wexford Corporation has written to Iarnrod Eireann asking it to ensure wheelchair access is available before the scheduled opening on June 30th.
The 30-metre-wide quay extension, a "working dock and amenity area", was developed as the "community gain" element of the town's new waste water interceptor system. It includes a new quay wall, a marina for 60 boats, a new dock and public area where strollers may sit and enjoy the views.
According to town clerk Mr Don Curtin, the scheme has been widely acclaimed, solving the problem of the harbour's 27 separate, untreated sewage out-falls and providing a pleasing, eco-friendly facility for the town at the same time. To provide access, the corporation says it designed a number of crossing points on the railway, which were made suitable for wheelchairs. The move involved the raising of the rail line by six inches to a foot in certain places.
Despite discussions with Iarnrod Eireann over safety issues, the company has so far failed to respond positively to the corporation's concerns, according to Mr Curtin. However, there is disabled access to the new quay-front via the old Wexford bridge, although this involves a considerable detour. The corporation has now written to Iarnrod Eireann reminding the company of the Taoiseach's visit and requesting that sufficient access for the disabled be provided in time for the opening.
However, the request is not enough for Cllr Kiernan, who told The Irish Times that he would not attend what amounted to a "snub" to 10 per cent of the population. "Iarnrod Eireann has an easement by way of an 1871 Act which allows it to move its trains through the sea-front, but this is only as long as it doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of other users of the harbour," he said.
"I calculate that there is about six minutes a day when there are trains passing and the rest of the time access is restricted to the disabled. It seems to me that is interfering with the enjoyment of the local population." Mr Barry Kenny of Iarnrod Eireann said the company "cannot have unregulated, unrestricted pedestrian crossings of the railway line for safety considerations".
Mr Kenny said Iarnrod Eireann had held meetings with the corporation going back to the start of the year at which the difficulty was discussed. The company had commissioned a report from rail safety consultants A.D. Little, who had made recommendations on a safe crossing method.
"The cost of making this crossing safe was in seven figures. We wrote to the corporation and told them that, but it appears they did not factor any cost of the crossing into their budget for the work and we did not even get a reply to our letters."
A spokesman for the Taoiseach said Mr Ahern was unaware of any difficulty with access for the disabled but would study the situation.