Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee this afternoon. I also thank Senator Ó Céidigh for instigating this discussion. This is a critical issue for Members of the Oireachtas representing east and west Galway and south Mayo. There are huge numbers of commuters coming from outside the county area, as has been highlighted. It is significant that Mr. Tony Neary from Medtronic is present. I am sure he would prefer not to be here talking about a negative issue that is affecting not only his company but also the 6,000 employees in Parkmore Business and Technology Park, not to mention the traffic problems across the city.

The key issue is solutions. We must work on short-term to medium-term solutions as well as the long-term picture. Last year, I invited the then Minister with responsibility for local government, Deputy Simon Coveney, to Galway to meet local authority members and business leaders in the Parkmore area with regard to setting out timeframes, targets and actions for the short, medium and long terms. That happened and there was good progress at the time, but it went off the boil over the last few months. One can hear today the sense of frustration with the lack of movement. Funding is not the issue, and the witnesses can correct me if I am wrong. We were told that last year. It is about setting out targets and timeframes and having a plan of action. Does the city manager need a project manager? What are the stumbling blocks to progressing this? I realise there are planning issues, CPOs and so forth. We should lay them out on the public record. Are more resources required from the Department? What is needed to assist the county manager? The plans and solutions exist. I hear this constantly from the multinationals. However, there is a great sense of frustration that they have the solutions and they are willing to work and even invest with regard to funding, but the push or drive is not there. If it is the case that more resources and a project manager are required to drive this, that must happen. The elected representatives would be willing to assist in that regard.

I agree with Mr. Coll about laying out the short-term picture. He said there must be parallel solutions. There are many small items. They will not be the silver bullet solution, and none of us is saying that. However, there is definitely a lack of progress in pushing this agenda not just for Parkmore but across the city. We need a public integrated transport system and park and ride facilities to be identified north, south, east and west of the city centre. Can both the county manager and city manager explain the current position with regard to identifying park and ride sites? We need those sites and, as my colleague mentioned, the bus routes and lanes so people are not sitting in traffic. If they are in a bus, they will be on a designated bus lane. What is the position with that? What are the stumbling blocks to progressing it? These are the solutions, and that is what we need to emerge from this meeting. Yes, the outer city bypass is extremely important but that will take at least ten years. If it is less, that would be great and I will stand corrected. However, we cannot sit on our hands until then. We must have the parallel process taking place on the short-term and medium-term solutions. Integrated public transport and park and ride sites will be key to that. There is a great willingness on the part of the multinationals to work with everybody. If a project manager is needed, the witness should say that now. This is the time to do so. As I understand it, funding is not the issue. It is a lack of leadership in dealing with our traffic problems.