Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister took it on board and ran with it, but it came from young people. That just shows the power of coming up with a proposal, as many of our guests have done. They have made people who want to do their best for the country and the planet listen. Only 53% of the country has access to public transport, or at least that was the case before Connecting Ireland, which started just earlier this year. In my county, Galway, a few new routes have started, bringing more and more public transport, but there is still a huge way to go to ensure that everyone in the country will have an option to get public transport. That is why it is not just about fares; it is about access to make it truly equal for everybody in the country.

Senator Higgins had indicated she wished to come back in, but I understand the Minister of State has another engagement.