Heritage Railways in the Republic of Ireland

[jhb171achill]

29 minutes ago, Mayner said:

I guess a higher proportion of people in New Zealand compared to Ireland are interested in railways and more significantly are prepared to contribute financially and physically to heritage railways and museums.

Very certainly seems that way!

[Wexford70]

10 hours ago, Mayner said:

Another feature is that our 3 major cities each have a transport/local history museum/historic park which features an operating railway and section of street tramways.

Can't understand why no national transport museum has been founded in the south given the rich industrial history on the island. Cultra  is a fine example of what is possible. Would love to see somewhere like the MGWR Broadstone site used.

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Wexford70 said:

Can't understand why no national transport museum has been founded in the south given the rich industrial history on the island. Cultra  is a fine example of what is possible. Would love to see somewhere like the MGWR Broadstone site used.

Quite simply because nobody - either private or state-funded - is prepared to put up the cash to build it, and pay to maintain it thereafter…… sadly!

[Horsetan]

4 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

...nobody - either private or state-funded - is prepared to put up the cash to build it, and pay to maintain it thereafter…… sadly!

It was ever thus. That's why general neglect and dereliction is still a common sight in Ireland 

[Mayner]

On 26/6/2025 at 10:19 PM, Wexford70 said:

Can't understand why no national transport museum has been founded in the south given the rich industrial history on the island. Cultra  is a fine example of what is possible. Would love to see somewhere like the MGWR Broadstone site used.

A few points to consider.

1. Transport Museums in New Zealand including our new National Railway Museum are controlled by similar groups to the RPSI and other preservation/historical societies, with some support from Councils (often as landlord) in a similar manner to sports clubs who use public facilities). Funding is mainly through donations (corporate & individual) and bequests.

2. Auckland City Council supports its transport museum MOTAT (Trams, Trains, Planes & road) through a levy on the Council rates. https://www.motat.nz/about/corporate/governance/

3. Having worked in similar positions Ireland, the UK and New Zealand over the past 40 odd years I paid a similar proportion of tax on my income in all three countries .

In my experience the myth of the Irish being less well off individually does not appear to have held true. I seem to have been better off financially while working in Ireland than the UK, marginally better salary levels and higher levels of tax free allowance and deductible expenses tended to off set the higher Irish income tax rate.

The 1977 abolition of Domestic Rates significantly reduced Irish household living costs in comparison with the UK where householders continue to be required to pay rates in the form of Poll and later Council Tax and Water Charges

4. Although Ireland recently re-introduced domestic rates in the form of LPT, the proposed LPT for properties of similar value in Ireland and New Zealand appears to be about 1/5 my total current rates bill.

5. Although housebuilders and developers a sector that was hit hard by the 73-4 Oil Crisis and welcomed the 1977 Governments abolition of domestic rates, the introduction of a 1st Time Home Buyers Grant, the ending of price control on new homes, in retrospect the new policies did more damage that good, contributing to a concentration of power in Central Government by reducing Council income by 30% and an inflationary boom in the construction industry which in turn lead to the Irish recession of the Mid 80s.

Ironically housebuilding was experiencing signs of recovery when I started working in the industry in 76 with increased sales and new developments selling out quickly, the Home Buyers Grant was treated as a subsidy increasing house prices by the value of the grant when announced and shifting to building higher margin more expensive homes following the ending of price control and banks easing lending restrictions. I worked for a company that shifted from building £14K terraced homes in Dublin's inner suburbs in 1976 to £50+K detached homes in more highly priced suburbs by 1978, I built my first £100k home in 1980.

The abolition of Domestic Rates basically hamstrung councils in their efforts to support local groups such as railway preservation societies in a similar manner to the UK, NZ and Australia.

I suppose the question is how commercial ratepayers would have reacted in 2000 to a proposal to establish the planned National Railway Museum in Mullingar through a levy on their rates?

 

 

Edited yesterday at 11:10 by Mayner

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, Mayner said:

A few points to consider.

1. Transport Museums in New Zealand including our new National Railway Museum are controlled by similar groups to the RPSI and other preservation/historical societies, with some support from Councils (often as landlord) in a similar manner to sports clubs who use public facilities). Funding is mainly through donations (corporate & individual) and bequests.

2. Auckland City Council supports its transport museum MOTAT (Trams, Trains, Planes & road) through a levy on the Council rates. https://www.motat.nz/about/corporate/governance/

3. Having worked in similar positions Ireland, the UK and New Zealand over the past 40 odd years I paid a similar proportion of tax on my income in all three countries .

In my experience the myth of the Irish being less well off individually does not appear to have held true. I seem to have been better off financially while working in Ireland than the UK, marginally better salary levels and higher levels of tax free allowance and deductible expenses tended to off set the higher Irish income tax rate.

The 1977 abolition of Domestic Rates significantly reduced Irish household living costs in comparison with the UK where householders continue to be required to pay rates in the form of Poll and later Council Tax and Water Charges

4. Although Ireland recently re-introduced domestic rates in the form of LPT, the proposed LPT for properties of similar value in Ireland and New Zealand appears to be about 1/5 my total current rates bill.

5. Although housebuilders and developers a sector that was hit hard by the 73-4 Oil Crisis and welcomed the 1977 Governments abolition of domestic rates, the introduction of a 1st Time Home Buyers Grant, the ending of price control on new homes, in retrospect the new policies did more damage that good, contributing to a concentration of power in Central Government by reducing Council income by 30% and an inflationary boom in the construction industry which in turn lead to the Irish recession of the Mid 80s.

Ironically housebuilding was experiencing signs of recovery when I started working in the industry in 76 with increased sales and new developments selling out quickly, the Home Buyers Grant was treated as a subsidy increasing house prices by the value of the grant when announced and shifting to building higher margin more expensive homes following the ending of price control and banks easing lending restrictions. I worked for a company that shifted from building £14K terraced homes in Dublin's inner suburbs in 1976 to £50+K detached homes in more highly priced suburbs by 1978, I built my first £100k home in 1980.

The abolition of Domestic Rates basically hamstrung councils in their efforts to support local groups such as railway preservation societies in a similar manner to the UK, NZ and Australia.

I suppose the question is how commercial ratepayers would have reacted in 2000 to a proposal to establish the planned National Railway Museum in Mullingar through a levy on their rates?

 

 

This is precisely it, in a nutshell. Culturally, we’re just not that much interested, as a whole!