Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar an mBille tábhachtach seo. Táimid ag feitheamh leis an mBille leis na blianta. Is trua é go bhfuil a leithéid de Bhille, a bhunaíonn údarás den tsórt seo, ós ár gcomhair. Léiríonn sé nach bhfuil an Rialtas seo, nó aon Rialtas eile, in ann déileáil le fadhbanna tráchta Bhaile Átha Cliath agus a dtimpeallacht.

Ba mhaith liom labhairt faoi roinnt mionphointí a d'ardaigh mé cúpla uair ar Bhillí eile. Measaim gur chóir i gcónaí go mbeadh "údarás iompair Bhaile Átha Cliath", seachas "Dublin transport authority", in úsáid. Sa chaoi sin, is ina mhalairt de shlí a bheadh sé ós ár gcomhair. Ba chóir den Bhille "a body to be known as údarás iompair Bhaile Átha Cliath, or in the English language as the Dublin transport authority" a leagan amach. Tá athrú déanta ar an chleachtadh le roinnt blianta anuas. Faoi láthair, tugtar teideal Béarla sa chéad áit ar aon eagras nua a bhunaíonn an Stát. Is ansin a luaitear an tainm Gaeilge. Is a mhalairt de chleachtadh a bhí ann nuair a bhunaíodh an Stát. Ní gá dúinn ach féachaint ar roinnt de na heagrais agus comhalachtaí Stáit cáiliúla — Córas Iompair Éireann, Bus Éireann agus Bus Átha Cliath ina measc — chun é sin a thuiscint. Is trua é go bhfuil dearmad déanta ar an chleachtadh sin sa chás seo.

Má tá an reachtaíocht seo chun déiléala leis an dtodhchaí, tá sé suimiúil go bhfuil an túdarás seo srianta i gceantracha áirithe, atá leagtha amach sa Bhille. Baineann sé le Átha Cliath Theas, Fine Gall, Dún Laoghaire-Ráth an Dúin, Baile Átha Cliath, Cill Dara, Cill Mhantáin agus an Mhí. Ba chóir go mbeadh a leithéid d'údarás ag dul beagáinín níos faide ná sin. Ba cheart go mbeadh gar do 50 míle i gceist, chun go mbeadh an chuid is gnóthaí de Chontae Lú san áireamh. Má smaoinímid ar an líon daoine a thaistilíonn go dtí Baile Átha Cliath as cheantair ar nós Droichead Átha — nó Dún Dealgan, fiú — gach lá, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil ceangal mór acu leis na fadhbanna tráchta atá sa chathair seo. Ba chóir dúinn pleananna a fhorbairt chun an daonra sin a thabhairt san áireamh. Tá níos mó ná 1.5 milliún duine clúdaithe sa mhéid atá luaite sa reachtaíocht. Caithfimid cinneadh a dhéanamh conas is féidir linn déileáil le trácht sa cheantar sin.

Ba cheart dúinn a chinntiú go mbeidh an túdarás seo freagrach don Dáil. Ní chóir go mbeadh aon bhealach ina mbeidh an túdarás in ann freagracht a sheachaint. Nuair a chuirfimid ceisteanna ar an tAire Iompair, caithfidh go mbeidh sé nó sí in ann freagraí a thabhairt dúinn. Go minic, ní bhíonn freagraí le fáil. Ní gá dúinn ach féachaint ar an HSE chun é sin a fheiscint. Cuirtear moill ar na freagraí gur chóir dúinn a fháil sa Teach seo. Ní bhíonn na freagraí ar thaifead na Dála.

Labhróidh mé mar gheall ar roinnt rudaí eile atá laistigh den Bhille. Measaim go bhfuil sé dainsearach go dealraíonn sé go gcuideoidh an Bille seo le tabhairt isteach príobháidiú sna chórais iompair, ar a laghad ar na bealaí busanna agus amach anseo ar an iarnród atá á fhorbairt i mBaile Átha Cliath. Níl ach cúig bliana de chonradh i gceist, i dtús báire, ó thaobh Bus Átha Cliath nó Bus Éireann de. Leanfaidh an conradh iarnróid ar feadh deich mbliana. Measaim gur chóir go mbeadh i bhfad níos mó de chonradh tugtha dóibh. Ba chóir go ndéanfaimid cinnte de go dtugfaí tús áite don chóras phoiblí atá á hoibriú ag an Stát, seachas an bealach atá leagtha amach sa Bhille seo a leanúint.

Decades of underfunding of public transport by successive Governments have resulted in absolute traffic chaos every day in this city and its outskirts. Congestion has made it very difficult for people to commute and for those living in the city to go about their daily business. The city has been shaped by the unco-ordinated interests of property developers, friends of Fianna Fáil. One developer, McNamara Construction, which is run by a former Fianna Fáil councillor, seems to be in trouble at present. It is regrettable that decisions on our transport system have been taken on the basis of the interests of speculators. Speculators and greedy developers, rather than city councillors, have planned our city for us.

Despite Government claims to the contrary, the emphasis remains on facilitating the private car as a means of transport rather than on seeking to address the real problems causing congestion. If we are serious about this issue, we need to double or treble the public fleet of buses in Dublin. By doing so, we would have an efficient transport network and commuters would be able to trust bus timetables. There has been progress but because of the concentration on the private car, it is sometimes a question of one step forward and two steps back.

Our inadequate transport infrastructure is already struggling to cope with the unprecedented explosion in car ownership and use. Successive incompetent Governments have ensured that the car is no longer a luxury but a necessity because the roads are choked.

The term "greater Dublin area" suggests a land-grab by Dubliners. We are now taking over Meath and Wicklow and other counties. Perhaps we will win an all-Ireland final in Gaelic games if we entice some of the people in the areas to which we are moving to play for us. The people of the greater Dublin area deserve adequately funded, integrated public transport that is quick, affordable, reliable, clean and safe. I hope this Bill will address this issue and that is why I welcome it, but it could have gone a lot further. By comparison with the transport systems in other European cities, the system in Dublin is pathetic. Much more needs to be done.

Dublin Bus requires many more buses. The subsidy given to Dublin Bus is very low by European standards and it needs to be increased substantially so there will be a viable alternative to the private car. At present, only 50% of Dublin Bus's fleet is accessible to those with impaired mobility. This figure needs to increase urgently so all those with a disability can access public transport on their doorstep.

We must examine other European cities with a view to providing more cycle lanes and safer routes for cyclists throughout the city. Proper enforcement is required to ensure cyclists are not put in danger at road works and by drivers who have no regard for them. Not enough will be done by the Dublin transport authority to address this.

Hopefully, Members will be able to tackle some of the faults and problems associated with this legislation on Committee Stage. At the end of this process, it is to be hoped that a proper údarás will have been set up that can address the chaos that takes place in the streets of Dublin on a daily basis. Moreover, public private partnerships to deliver public transport should not be used. This week, Members already have witnessed the chaos that public private partnerships can deliver to communities.

See this speech in context