David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that but I suggest the name should reflect the road and rail elements of its function. Perhaps the "national road and light rail agency" would be a preferable name. The current name could lead to confusion with the National Transport Authority.

I recognise the importance of developing and integrating public transport. The Luas transported 30 million passengers last year. It has been a huge success and trams are packed much of the time. Will the new agency investigate the feasibility of constructing light rail lines elsewhere? I do not want to be too parochial but Cork city is ripe for such a project. Given the success of Luas in Dublin, I am sure light rail will be similarly successful elsewhere in the country.

I note there will be additional costs in the establishment of the new agency but there will also be long-term savings of approximately €3 million per annum. The merger of the agencies will bring their respective expertise and experience together in a complementary fashion.

I emphasise that light rail must be on an equal footing with road. That is important. We need to look at that.

In establishing large national agencies like this, we must be cognisant of local needs. I suggest to the Minister that he set in train a way so the agency would consult and meet local representatives at least once a year and tell us what it is at. That happens with the HSE, it should happen with the local authorities - I do not know that it happens everywhere - but I suggest it should happen here. Possibly, it should be built in somewhere that the agency would meet in a local forum with local elected representatives, in particular Deputies and councillors, to fill people in as to what they are doing and to get feedback as to the issues regarding the service. I note, for instance, that the RPA has a good website and makes public consultation an important part of it. That is not as clear in the NRA as it stands. We need to be cognisant of that need.

Like Deputy Buttimer, I welcome the plans to upgrade the train station in Cork and other such works that have been announced recently. The rail link to east Cork that opened a couple of years ago is working well. The fact that there are no parking charges in the stations is quite important because it has meant that commuters are using the service. We must encourage people to use public transport more often. I suggest to Iarnród Éireann and this new agency that they have some method whereby customers could lodge complaints and raise issues that they might have with the service. Currently, that is not easily done. Recently, I rang Iarnród Éireann about a complaint and received no response. I am a Member of Dáil Éireann and nothing came back. I might has well have been talking to the wall.

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