[Article] Irish Rail lands in rough over Ryder Cup fares

[Mark]

Irish indo

STATE-OWNED Irish Rail was accused last night of jumping on the Ryder Cup rip-off bandwagon by charging close to six times the normal fare for train and bus transfers between Dublin and the K Club in Co Kildare.

CIE, which owns Irish Rail, Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, issued a glowing press release yesterday announcing that its combined companies would be mounting the largest public transport operation since Pope John Paul II's visit in 1979 in order to shuttle spectators, players and media to the Ryder Cup next month.

But what it didn't say was that not only is CIE receiving €1.3m from the Ryder Cup itself to provide bus services to and from a specially designated site in west Dublin, but normal ticket holders travelling to the K-Club from Dublin city centre are being charged well above the standard train fare for the privilege.

A standard return journey from Dublin's Connolly station to Leixlip's Louisa Bridge costs €3.50 for an adult and €1.80 for a child.

However, Ryder Cup ticket holders taking advantage of Irish Rail's combined package that includes return rail service to and from Leixlip and a shuttle bus 13km away to the K Club are being charged €20 a ticket for adults and children alike.

A standard local taxi that can accommodate four passengers is charging a regular fare of €30 each way to ferry passengers between Leixlip and the K Club.

But Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny denied the fares were exorbitant.

"We have additional costs to hire the buses and we have to hire additional staff and security. We are the only dedicated service from the city centre to the K-club. We do have significant costs with the operation."

He said the cost was also in line with the €20 that was reportedly being charged for users of the park and ride service.

Officials from Ryder Cup Travel Services, who are running the operation, were unavailable for comment. However, Mr Kenny conceded Irish Rail would be making a profit on the operation. "We'd hope to make a small commercial return," he said.

But Dermot Jewell, spokesman for the Consumers Association of Ireland, said the fares being charged for the rail and bus services were pure price-gouging. "What makes it even more repellent is that it is being conducted by a state-run company, despite the pleas last week by Tourism Minister John O'Donoghue urging businesses not to hike up their prices in order to cash in on the Ryder Cup," he said.

"It most certainly goes against the grain of the request Minister O'Donoghue has made not to take advantage of the Ryder Cup. It's just profiteering and it's quite unacceptable," he added.

Some 45,000 spectators are expected to attend the tournament each day.

Allison Bray