Official 2008 timetables?

[AndrewMc]

I know there are other wishlist threads on the scheduling within the timetable, but I've a really, really simple question which I didn't see (though I may have missed it...)

When will the new timetables be issued?

There are less than 8 weeks to go on the current ones, and if past experience is anything to go by, we'll be desperately searching for the new ones the week ending Friday 7th Dec, will probably fail, and just be hoping that on Monday the train we took last week is still running. Right now you couldn't even make plans for Christmas travel. This is pathetic.

While Irish Rail have simplified the appearance of the timetables, the information is still too minimal. Even simple changes would help (especially visitors) such as replacing the front-page photograph of some kid pointing out the window with a map of the route. This year I took a train in Austria for the first time — their timetables detail the platforms at every station, and the platforms and times of all connecting trains. If the timetable doesn't change all year, why can't IE do this?