Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I refer to an interesting point made at the meeting a couple of weeks ago.

Some Luas workers were saying that the security service on the Luas is not having a deterrent effect any more. We have repeat offenders who might jump onto a Dublin Bus, a Go-Ahead bus and then onto a Luas tram and be involved in three different incidents in the course of an hour. It can be the same person or group but they know that the private security firms do not have any powers of arrest. There is a debate around whether we should use private security or gardaí. What is required is a multifaceted approach but the debate is in this space at the moment so I just want to speak to that. I believe there is a Garda solution that has to be part of this, as opposed to just private security. There may be some progress that can be made on the CCTV side of things.

I will now ask a local question because I am getting lots of representations from airport workers who live in Skerries, Rush, Lusk and Loughshinny and work unsocial hours. Workers who live in Balbriggan or Balrothery are okay because they can use the Bus Éireann 101 service. Could the 33A, which is a Go-Ahead service, or the 33 service be expanded to provide an early service at 4 a.m.? Not only would there be demand from airport workers, but there would also be demand from holidaymakers getting early flights. As we know, parking in Dublin Airport is very difficult. Councillor Brendan Ryan and I approached Local Link but were told that it would be better to expand an existing service like the 33 or the 33A. It was suggested that we ask the NTA for an expansion rather than seeking a new service through Local Link. I would appreciate it if that could be considered.

I am encouraged to see that there is scope for flexibility in existing services and not just ways for Bus Connects to come through. I have raised the 32X service previously. Increased capacity in the mornings and a shift in the service times in the evenings to later departures would bring more college students onto that service. The express services are so important in tackling congestion and getting people out to the hinterlands of Dublin that I represent as quickly as possible. Could those services be looked at? I would welcome any comments from the witnesses on that.