Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The Labour Party should accept that we should not waste public expenditure in good or bad times.

We have made huge strides on improving the accessibility of our public transport system for persons with disabilities. Some 80% of the Dublin Bus fleet will be accessible by the end of this year and approximately one third of bus stops in the greater Dublin area will have been upgraded by then. All of the city bus fleet in the regional cities is 100% low floor and accessible for people with disabilities.

Despite the economic downturn, it is clear that 2009 will be another huge year for transport projects. My aim is to deliver increased public transport passenger capacity. I will ensure that project planning continues to ensure that sufficient projects are ready to start as soon as funding becomes available.

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