Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

If delivery of all components of the public transport element of Transport 21 in Dublin and the surrounding counties occurred in the next couple of years, there would be reason for optimism about the current crisis. However, the more critical components are ten years' away, such as the interconnector that will remove 750,000 daily commuters from the roads. I have been in favour of the interconnector for years as a former member of panels of the Dublin transportation initiative and the Dublin Transportation Office. I have never understood why it has such a low priority given the benefit it would bring. Money spent expanding our rail network, especially in urban areas, is a very solid strategic investment as long as it is spent in the right location and the costs are reasonable. A decent cost-benefit analysis of these must be made. There has been a significant shortage of specifics for many of the projects outlined in Transport 21, even though most of them have merit.

Given that these serious investments will be in the long term, my concern is what can be done in the short term. I was appalled by recent developments. There is an emergency every day for many people and the only response is bus-based. About 14% of public transport use is by bus while 4% is by rail. This is obviously due to the extent of the rail available and the bus is clearly the work horse of the public transport system. However, we only got 100 buses this year when 200 were proposed following a network review.

On 3 May 2006, the Minister for Transport informed the Dáil that he wanted to see not alone the 200 buses required going to Dublin Bus, but the private sector adding significantly to the capacity. However, there was a row between the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil over the summer and the number was reduced to 100 buses. The other 100 buses will be considered when the new transport authority is in place. The legislation to develop this authority will probably not be brought before the Houses until the autumn of next year, so it is likely that the other 100 buses will not be added until 2008.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question, I was told that 27 licences were issued to private operators for new routes under the 1932 Act. I was also told that there is no obligation on any of those operators to have integrated ticketing, which is part of Transport 21. Instead of a coherent service, we are getting further fragmentation. I live in an area which has two providers and the routes coincide in locations. There are separate bus stops, separate timetables and separate ticketing. One has to stand between the two bus stops and decide which one is coming. What happens if a dozen operators exist in the same place? There will be nothing but chaos. We are going back to a pre-1932 scenario. Private bus providers must negotiate with Dublin City Council and the Garda for a city centre bus stop and terminal space, and such spaces are at a premium.

Instead of hundreds of new buses and a whole range of new routes, especially in areas where there are thousands of new homes, we are getting a fragmented approach. Services such as feeder buses and parking spaces go hand in hand to encourage rail use. The Maynooth rail service is called the Calcutta express, which describes it very well. People come from Longford and Enfield and park in the streets and housing estates of Maynooth. Nobody wants to live there because it has become absolutely intolerable. These are short-term issues that must be examined. Some bins are not being collected and emergency vehicles are not getting in and out.

The train service on the Maynooth line is so overcrowded that it has become dangerous. There is some additional rolling stock intended for delivery, but that needed to happen years ago. There are eight stations after Maynooth, but one cannot get a seat at that stage. One can get a seat on the peak-time trains on the Kildare line in Celbridge if one gets on at the back of the train. The people at the front of the train are those who make the hundred-yard dash for the Luas. That is how people are living their lives. We must provide a public transport system that makes it attractive for people to leave their cars at home.

In regard to the institutional arrangements, will we see a repeat of the creation of the National Roads Authority over which there is no democratic control? The authority must be elected and delivery is a key element. The big impediment to the M50 is the addition of heavy goods vehicles following their removal from the city centre. This will turn every road network outside the M50 into total gridlock. Something can be done about this if the Government lifts the tolls, but there is no commitment to do it. There is an emergency out there so we need to see an emergency response. It must be part of Transport 21, but I do not see it.

See this speech in context