Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Mr. Owens on his appointment. I will pick up on the point made by Deputy Smith about the staff in Dublin Bus. I worked in the company a long time ago. I started my apprenticeship with the CIÉ Group so I spent a lot of time working in the garages. I have seen real advancement in the service, the fleet, the technology and the reliability of the buses. It is rare to see a bus broken down on the side of the road, whereas that was a familiar sight many years. We must acknowledge the investment and the staff throughout the service, not just the drivers but also the back office and maintenance staff, and the vital service they provide us day in, day out. There are only a few 24-hour routes. I support the expansion of more 24-hour routes where they are feasible and deliverable. I hear talk of the 155 route becoming a 24-hour route.

I ask Mr. Owens to consider two issues during his time as chair. One is the provision of a 24-hour bus service. Many people would avail of such a service and it would be really helpful to have it. The second issue is the safety of passengers. Transport Infrastructure Ireland appeared before the committee to discuss its report entitled Travelling in a Woman's Shoes. It is not just travelling on the bus and in-journey time. It also concerns bus shelters. The shelters can be well-lit and maintained but it also involves the surrounding area. Will Mr. Owens discuss where passengers wait for or disembark from buses? We heard stories of women getting off at a different stop from the one nearest to them because they felt it was safer to walk that particular journey as they just did not like that particular stop. There is so much to discuss, including BusConnects and moving to an electric bus fleet, of which we are all supportive. Passenger safety and the expansion to 24-hour services would be really beneficial to everybody involved. I wish Mr. Owens the best of luck in his time as chair.