Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that, and I am sure the witnesses can clarify the remarks made around how minor changes to the route system would result in the plan as originally designed collapsing. How can those remarks be squared with what has been agreed? The public has concerns that while this project continues to plough on, the route issues will not be addressed. Will the witnesses answer those questions?

There are significant issues with parking in the Dublin suburbs for people using BusConnects, train and Luas stations. What plans are in place to increase parking capacity in peripheral areas and where we want people to use this BusConnects route network? Are the difficulties being addressed with companies over which the NTA has jurisdiction, specifically Irish Rail, with regard to the increasing fees? We are trying to encourage people to use public transport and next door there is a meeting of the climate change committee, whose members are blue in the face trying to encourage people to use public transport. People are being ripped off by Irish Rail and other entities increasing their parking fees and discouraging the use of public transport. The NTA must come on board and encourage people to use the parking capacity. It is currently discouraging that use.

I also ask about growth projections. I can speak only for west Dublin about the BusConnects plan. Even with the bus lane system, much of what BusConnects contains does not future-proof the bus network. Many areas will see a large growth in population over the next five to ten years. What planning is being done to ensure the bus network can be amended and infrastructure put in place to take into account the national planning framework and future population changes? There has been some concern about this.

There will be decreased transport connectivity in areas where there will be huge population growth in the next three to five years.