Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I speak on the Bill I wish the Leas-Cheann Comhairle all the best on his retirement. I know it is a bit premature, but I will not give him as much grief as I have in the past.

I thank the Minister for being in the House. The Bill is technical but the debate gives some of us an opportunity to broaden its scope a little. In recent years, NTA funding, particularly in constituencies around Dublin, has been most welcome. It has probably been the only source of funding to allow new projects to happen. In my constituency, and that of Deputy Dowds, these small projects were very much welcomed. I have found an issue whereby Kildare County Council never seemed to be ready to take on the funding when it was given to it. It would apply for funding and hope it would get it and would take it from there if it did. It never seemed to put in place A, B and C so that when it got the funding it could start work. What ended up happening in Kildare seemed to be that if it got funding in 2014 it might have been able to start a project in 2015. I know it is a fault with the local authority in Kildare, but I would appreciate a bit more flexibility in the NTA to allow funding whereby a shovel-ready project that would fit into its remit might be taken on board. I know of a project in Leixlip which is shovel ready. We are applying for NTA funding for next year, but if funding were transferred from one of the other projects this year it would be much more beneficial. It may also help to provide funding whereby the NTA might allow local authorities use outside sources for planning.

I welcome the announcement made several weeks ago on the development of the tunnel under the Phoenix Park. From a Kildare perspective it will be hugely beneficial. We need to see whether a better link can be provided for the route from Heuston Station. I hope it will be in the capital funding. It would be cheap as we would spend only small money on it, but it would be a very good way to link Naas, Celbridge and Hazelhatch with the centre of Dublin. People could hop on a train. It could be used instead of the underground proposed by the railway authority.

I get confused about fares. We have one zone after another but there may be only one stop between zones. In most places if one travels three stops one pays for three stops. We should look at this. If one goes from Kilcock to Maynooth one goes from one fare zone to another and it is cheaper to go by bus. We would love people to use the railway because from a transport perspective it is a much more economical way of using existing transport. I ask the Minister to examine zones and fares.

As Kildare is on the periphery of Dublin it gets great services on the spokes to Dublin but very little NTA funding for routes going crossways, such as Kilcock to Naas or Maynooth to Kilcullen. If possible, could licences for private bus operators to work on such routes be put out to tender? It would be extremely beneficial. Many people would like to use public transport if it were available but it is not available on the links between the spokes. We have excellent public transport going into Dublin but nothing linking the orbitals.

I look forward to the Minister's capital programme with all earnestness. I hope he takes on board some of the issues I have raised. I will have no problem with the Bill.

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