Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will try to respond to each of the points made by the Deputy. In regard to the north east, I spent all day yesterday, including yesterday evening, in Donegal where I heard first-hand many of the points made today by the Deputy. For example, the county manager made the point that there is more than 6,000 km of road network and between 4,000 and 5,000 bridges in County Donegal. The vast majority of the road network is made up of regional roads, which presents its own challenges in terms of support and maintenance. In regard to what can be done to improve connectivity, as I understand it from my discussions yesterday, the county manager and employers in the region would welcome improvements to the road network in the short to medium term. This year, €10 million has been provided to support the development of key roads in the county. I have also put in place a process to examine the potential use of TEN-T funding in terms of improvements to key roads.

I appreciate the Deputy's points in regard to ticketing. However, it is important to recognise that by the end of this year the availability of the Leap card within the country will have step-changed. It is already making an important contribution to integration of public transport.

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