Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to use the few moments I have to speak in support of the Sinn Féin amendment, particularly the call to extend metro north to Balbriggan. This is not just to alleviate the hardship of commuters, of whom I am one - the trains are rammed daily and it is difficult, if not impossible, to get some space, never mind a seat, when coming into town - but also to improve the chances of the town of Balbriggan and the surrounding areas in terms of tourism and development. We want to see people visiting this beautiful city but we would like them to go to the north of the county as well to explore the many wonderful and beautiful things to do there. However, it is extremely difficult to access areas such as Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk. We call on metro north to be fast-tracked because it is desperately needed. The preliminary census figures that show that ours is the fastest-growing population of any constituency in the country support the claim we are making about the extension of metro north. When one talks to people in north county Dublin about metro north, they throw their eyes up to heaven and say it is just like the draining of the Shannon: it gets wheeled out at election time and then gets put back with the mothballs. This is no reflection on the Minister but rather the previous Government and the one before that headed by Fianna Fáil.

I sincerely hope we will see metro north. It is essential not only that it be fast-tracked, but also that the Government give consideration to supporting the Sinn Féin motion. I call on all parties and Independents in the House to support the Sinn Féin motion and consider the extension of metro north up to the north of the county where it is so badly needed.

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