Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the chance to discuss the Bill. Although it is narrow in its focus — Carrickmines — we must take a broader focus on public transport and development of our road and rail infrastructure. I take issue with Deputy Eamon Ryan. Most of the people I see on the roads are members of the public. The roads are a form of public transport and we cannot dismiss the fact that the vast majority of people are forced to travel by road because we do not have a proper rail or bus infrastructure. We must realise that people are entitled to quality public transport. That does not just mean rail and bus services but a proper road infrastructure.

There is a sense from the Green Party and others that the only public transport mechanisms are rail and bus services. The facts are that we do not have this major investment in those services yet, although we are slowly getting there, and people must get from A to B. At present, the development of a proper road structure, in conjunction with developing rail and bus networks, is probably the cheapest way to do that. The tone of the debate today and for many years is that as soon as it is proposed to build anything, an objection is lodged. Often those objections come from the Green Party, which objects to almost everything possible. It objects to roads, golf courses——

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