Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister agree that consecutive Governments have done very little for public transport in Ireland? By international standards, public transport services are weak, while rail services have been allowed to disintegrate. If one lives in the countryside, the bus service leaves too much to be desired. Most people have to have a car in order to get from A to B. Rather than follow in the footsteps of other Governments, would the responsible Ministers not be tempted to leave their mark and do something serious in terms of investing in public transport in a major way? What is being done is further watering down public transport services by putting some of them out to tender. It would be positive if the Minister were to put a serious effort into improving public transport in Ireland, which is something that has not happened in a long time.

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