Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their attendance. I will be very brief. I ask Mr. Hernan for an update on a town bus service for Mullingar. I note west Clare, Cork, Drogheda and Athlone are mentioned in the documentation provided to the committee by the witnesses but Mullingar was specifically mentioned in Project Ireland 2040 in that regard.

I also seek an update on a revised timetable for the Expressway service from Mullingar to Dublin. I understand it is at an advanced stage or ready to be released and I would be grateful if he could update me in that regard.

On the roll-out of Local Link, no service has been provided in Westmeath. I ask Ms Graham why that is so. Was no application made? It had been brought to my attention that the service from Granard to Longford town is very welcome. However, Killoe, the biggest parish in Longford and which is almost at the midway point of the route, is less than a mile from the road on which the bus travels but the NTA seems unwilling for the bus to stop there in spite of the demand that has been demonstrated for such a stop.

Is there any way we could look at that? Councillor Gerry Hagan, who lives in Killoe, brought this to my attention. He has received many representations on it.

On trains at Mullingar station, there is supposed to be public consultation on putting extra routes on the Dublin to Sligo line. I was concerned that they would go in the opposite direction to commuters, so that the train would leave Dublin in the morning to Sligo and leave Sligo in the evening going to Dublin. What is the reasoning behind this being suggested? Perhaps the witnesses from Irish Rail could find out whether there is a possibility of holding a train at Mullingar station overnight, it could leave around 7 a.m. and that may assist commuters?