Iarnrod Éireann has said it intends to proceed with plans to charge for car-parking at three DART stations, despite the opposition of the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan.
The company confirmed yesterday that it was planning to introduce the charges at Booterstown, Clontarf and Malahide stations in Co Dublin but insisted that this was not a "pilot scheme" and that the company had no plans to extend the charges to other stations.
Iarnród Éireann also rejected reports that the charges could be as much as €50 per week - a rate which could deter commuters from using the DART.
The proposals were, however, criticised by a spokesman for the Minister, who has already made his disapproval know to the chairman of the transport holding company, Mr John Lynch.
The Minister's spokesman added that although Iarnród Éireann had sought to introduce such a scheme last year, it did not progress after the Minister made his feelings known.
Mr Brennan told Mr Lynch that any attempt to charge for parking at DART stations could run counter to Government policy for facilitating and encouraging people to use public transport.
However, a spokesman for the company said last night that the measure was aimed at deterring non-commuters, including shoppers and others, from using Iarnród Éireann car-parks.
"In these three stations we have found the local authorities have put in place a charge for on-street parking and this has resulted in people parking in the station car-parks," said Mr Barry Kenny.
He said the charge would he high for those who did not use public transport but "nominal" for those who did. Exactly how the system would operate was still being worked out, he added.
The move was also condemned by the Labour Party.
