[ThomasJ]

RTE http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0712/galway_train.html

Gardaí are investigating an incident in which a lorry crashed through a railway level crossing near the village of Oranmore in Co Galway and failed to stop this morning.

A passenger train travelling from Galway to Dublin was approaching the barrier at the time.

An Irish Rail spokesman said it was about four minutes from the level crossing on the Oranmore to Claregalway road when the lorry drove through the barrier.

The incident was monitored on CCTV cameras and the train was stopped before it reached the level crossing.

Five train services between Galway, Limerick and Dublin have been affected by the incident.

Irish Rail says it hopes that the barrier can be repaired within the next few hours and that services will return to normal schedules before lunchtime.

Alternative bus services are being put in place.

Barry Kenny of Iarnród Éireann has described this morning's incident as a 'reckless act that caused unnecessary delays'.

He said the company and the gardaí would carry out separate investigations.