'Doesn't make sense': Kilkenny man slams €100,000 train station lift out of use for 18 years

A number of issues have been highlighted with MacDonagh Junction's Railway Station in Kilkenny, including a non-operational lift that is estimated to have cost in the region of €100,000. 

MacDonagh Junction's Shopping Centre and Railway Station were constructed between 2005 and 2007. 

Two lifts were installed by Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE), one of which would bring people to the train station. However, despite that lift costing in the region of an estimated €100,000, it has never been in operation and people are forced to walk up quite a steep ramp instead. 

"Elderly people or people with health conditions, it's a struggle for them walking up the ramp. So much so that I do know a couple of people that have to get a taxi because they're not able to negotiate the ramp while walking," Donie Butler, former Centre Manager of MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre, said. 

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"It doesn't make sense. I smiled there a couple of years ago when the station won an age-friendly award. It's a sort of a contradiction of sorts; it wins an age-friendly award and yet for elderly people or people with a disability or people less mobile, they can't use the lift to get to the platform level of the station," Donie added.

When the two lifts were being constructed, they were the responsibility of MacDonagh Junction but once they were completed, one lift was handed over to CIE as it was for passengers who wanted to get to the train station. 

The land MacDonagh Junction is built on is owned by two entities; Kilkenny County Council and CIE. 

The lift causing issues is on the section of land owned by CIE and is therefore the responsibility of CIE. 

The public transport provider has been contacted numerous times to give an explanation as to why the lift hasn't been in operation for the guts of 18 years, but has not yet responded. 

Donie highlighted that the out-of-use lift is not the only issue passengers are facing at the station. 

"There's an enormous capacity issue on the rail service between Heuston Station and Waterford, with Kilkenny being the problem area," he said. 

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When the station was moved from its old location in 2009, the platform capacity was reduced to just six carriages. 

Recently, Donie took a trip on the train to Dublin from Kilkenny.

On the way up, he was able to get a seat, but the way back was a different story.

"I'm 77 years of age and I had to stand from the Heuston Station until we got past Newbridge when a kind lady offered me her seat on the train," he said. 

Donie is a member of the Kilkenny Railway Heritage Society, which is calling for the railway line to be run back into where the old platform was as two extra carriages would be able to be added. 

"We've involved the Ministers for Transport and Heritage in this. We've also involved the local councillors and all the TDs in Carlaw, Kilkenny, Kildare and Waterford and they all want to see this happen," he explained.

The Ministers have also been involved in another issue that has been raised by the Kilkenny Railway Heritage Society.

That issue surrounds the fact that the old station is a protected structure, meaning CIE are required to maintain and preserve it.

"Well, they're certainly prepared to preserve the protected structure, but they require the funding from government to do so. That's where the Minister for Transport would come in and the Minister for Heritage. Once that work is done, it would be their intention then to run the trains back into the station, but I've been agitating for this for the last seven years since 2018, and we still haven't got over the line with them," Donie explained. 

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He added that Kilkenny County Council have been "extremely good" and have served CIE with a derelict site notice.

This means the body has an obligation to carry out works on the old station and if it does not, there could be financial penalties imposed.

"It hasn't quite got to that stage yet because the County Council put a valuation on the site and lo and behold, what did CIE do? They appealed the valuation," Donie said.

The appeals process is currently ongoing.

CIE and Irish Rail have been contacted for comment but have not yet responded.