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

I will be very direct and I will conclude on this point. It is dangerous not to address the issue when it arises in a form such as this. Obviously, it is difficult early on to engage the public in light of all these dry words, but it will have massive consequences. At a meeting with the NTA yesterday, I sought an explanation as to why the cost per kilometre of fares to Claregalway or Carraroe is twice the cost of fares to Oranmore or anywhere in Galway city. According to the chief executive of the NTA, the fundamental reason is the national planning framework in that people would be encouraged to live outside the cities if bus fares were fairer. When we passed the national spatial strategy, we might not have realised that the effect of doing so would lock us into a double-fare basis for those who live outside the magic circle. Like that situation, I am convinced that, if we pass this Bill as is and opt for plebiscites in Galway, we will eventually find that there were many hidden agendas because the Government was afraid that, if it was upfront with the people, they would reject them.