Some 25,000 DART and mainline rail commuters will again be affected by major disruption today as work continues on securing an unstable crane at a building site close to the train tracks at Ringsend.
High winds prevented Health and Safety officers from dismantling or stabilising the 200 foot crane last night and there are doubts over whether they will be able to complete the job today as Met Éireann forecasts "severe and potentially damaging gusts" throughout the day.
A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Authority said officers would be "reappraising the situation" this morning.
A large section of the crane broke off and was left swinging at the Danninger Ltd site at the old Gasworks at Barrow Street Dublin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Some 60 residents had to be evacuated from Barrow Street amid fears that the crane would topple onto their houses.
They were allowed back into their homes briefly yesterday afternoon to collect belongings before spending a second night at the Mespil Hotel, Dublin. A spokesman for the hotel said their bill was being paid by Zoe Developments Ltd.
Iarnród Éireann has had to close the line between Pearse Street and Lansdowne Road stations. This will remain out of use at least until lunchtime today, company spokesman, Mr Barry Kenny, said.
Mr Kenny estimates that some 25,000 passengers - mainly DART users but also commuters from Wicklow, Wexford and Louth - will be affected each day. He was unable to say how much money the company was losing due to the accident.
When asked if Iarnród Éireann would be pursuing Danninger Ltd for its losses, he said: "Our first priority is to get the service back up and running, then we will be examining what further options we have in that direction."
Mr Kenny was also critical of the lack of communication from Danninger Ltd. "We're the only people telling the public what's happening.
"Residents have been discommoded, commuters have been discommoded. They (Danninger Ltd) could have been more forthcoming with information."
Danninger Ltd could not be contacted at their Dublin offices yesterday.
The rail line between Pearse Street and Lansdowne stations will be out of use until at least lunchtime today. A curtailed service will operate between Lansdowne Road and Bray/Greystones.
Northside services will operate between Howth and Malahide and Connolly or Pearse Stations, but will be subject to delays.
A shuttle bus will operate between the Corn Exchange on Burgh Quay to Landsdowne Road Station at peak times, but Mr Kenny said he expected capacity difficulties.
Northern and Maynooth line commuter services will operate to and from Connolly or Pearse stations, but delays are expected. Commuter services on these routes will not operate south of Pearse Station.
Rosslare InterCity and Gorey Commuter Services will be part or fully substituted by bus.
