James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I refer Mr. Creegan to Beijing, which is a good example of where a person can access a solely airport tram service from the gate of the airport which links up with a rail connection. That could be done here by way of the installation of a new platform at, for example, Donaghmede, where there is an existing rail line. It would be a floor platform in the sense that people would be able to walk to, perhaps, a new station that could be built and would not impact necessarily on the line capacity as much as a direct rail connection. It is really difficult for me to see how all of these services are going to be delivered. In all of my engagements with the NTA, TII, the Department of Transport and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform I have found it extraordinarily frustrating to get an accurate picture of what is going on. We need to tidy up in that regard if we are serious about increasing the number of people using public transport in this country and about increasing mobility of our streets, on which good work has been done by the NTA. Despite that all I have asked for in regard to my own constituency has been rejected by the NTA, I want to recognise that it is doing a lot of good work but an awful lot more needs to be done.

We are here discussing the transport strategy for the greater Dublin region. The interlinking of policy here is very difficult. It is also not very efficient, which makes it very difficult to get an accurate picture of when projects are going to be undertaken. I am concerned. As a Deputy for the south of the country, the lack of a response in regard to what is being done in regard to the N7 troubles me. With all of the houses being built there, in the next five years there will be an enormous number of vehicles travelling on the N7 right down to where it splits and meets with the M9. The NTA and Iarnród Éireann should single out that project in an effort to get cars off the road in Dublin. People using that road infrastructure would be delighted if they had a proper public transport option to get in and out of the city.