Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to have a chance to participate in this debate and support my colleague Deputy Lahart's motion. A special emphasis and focus on Dublin city has been lost in much of the debate here. In the past 20 years, a lot of good has been done in terms of investment in Dublin, including by the Government led by the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. Deputy Broughan likes to be disrespectful about it and so does Deputy Bríd Smith. Perhaps Deputy Broughan has not travelled outside Dublin in recent years following the expansive transportation plans that were put in place by former Ministers such as Séamus Brennan, Martin Cullen and Noel Dempsey.

In the same way that Deputy Bríd Smith thinks magical fairy dust will build all the houses that are needed in the country, it is the same thing when it comes to public transport from Solidarity-People Before Profit - the "M&Ms party", "Skittles party" or whatever they are calling themselves this week.

This historic city looks exceptionally well today in the resplendent sunshine, but the choked traffic arteries detract from that image. They block the city centre and main access roads, including the M1, N2 and N3. Transportation around the Dublin region impacts on all citizens, including in my constituency in County Meath. I have raised the Navan-Dublin train line with the Minister, Deputy Ross.

Dublin city is under pressure as a result of the number of commuters with which it must deal each day. Some 60% of people living in Meath are working outside the county. We need to invest in heavy infrastructure, such as the Navan rail link, so that we can help Dublin to grow and help our own county as well. The Minister of State should work with the Minister to ensure that the second phase of the Dublin-Navan rail line is progressed beyond the existing plans.

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