Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It is important to have this exchange of views as we will be writing a report on the matter. There are positives and negatives which we need to consider. There is an EU directive on accessibility and the main focus of attention is on rail. Can the Minister tell us what the response from his Department will be to that? When does it have to respond to the directive? Is there a timeline for compliance and how is it intended to comply with it? The EU has been very useful in changing attitudes in Ireland and this is also a useful intervention.

I tabled a parliamentary question which the Minister diverted to Irish Rail and the NTA, both of which replied to me. In one I was told a strategy would be worked out relating to the future needs for rail, and I am sure the Minister is engaged in the process because it will require capital investment. Irish Rail told me there would not be any new trains in 2018, 2019 or 2020 because there is a lead-in time from order to delivery. I assume the specification of the new trains will include disability features - can the Minister confirm that? Is retrofitting of existing stock included in the €28 million mentioned by the Minister, or is the money for a different use? How does he see the money being used? If there has been an audit of retrofitting existing rail stock the Minister might give us some insights into it. I understand that suburban rail is very different from intercity rail. We want to be realistic about what may happen.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, was before us and its representatives told us they need to deal with individual local authorities to carry out work to make bus stops accessible. They focus on particular corridors and routes. Is there a timeline for this? Have additional demands been made by the NTA to the Department relating to that particular proposal, and can it be accelerated? Is any of the €28 million being used for this purpose?

I received a reply from the NTA on foot of a parliamentary question to the Minister relating to the spread of taxis. People across the country have disabilities and a need for universal access. The objective is to get from 7.5% to 10% and the concentration is very important. I understand the Minister cannot target a grand scheme at any particular location but there are parts of the country that are very bad, such as Tipperary where there is one taxi for every 12,000 people while a comparable county, Donegal, has one for every 4,800. It is not about a urban-rural divide, though Dublin has the highest ratio of accessible taxis. A more targeted approach is needed in other parts of the country where the take-up is not sufficient. Is the Department thinking of how this may be achieved? It might need local engagement with taxi groups or their organisations but there is a problem.

On the Bus Éireann fleet which has been put out to tender, the NTA told us if a commercial operator won a contract it would have two years to upgrade to an accessible fleet on a particular route.