Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is not doubted.

On the need for critical mass, if there were another 100,000 people in County Galway, every regional service, including the train and bus services from Galway to Dublin, would have many more passengers. A myth is perpetuated by planners that all of the people who get on intercity buses in Galway live in Galway city. If one were to carry out a survey, one would find that 50% or more do not live there. They mostly live in country areas, including Connemara, north and south Galway or elsewhere. They travel into the city to get on a bus, for example, to Dublin. The idea that the health of the transport system or a shop is dependent on the people living in a town is wrong. If the local towns in the area in which I live were dependent on the people who live in them, they would have no business. Our vision is too short. I cannot believe how limited, hodge-podge and unco-ordinated our vision is for a 23-year national transport strategy. I suggest the Minister of State start again, include "a transport vision for Ireland" and come back to us with a big vision. That does not mean having a bit of road here or there as announced by the Taoiseach.