Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Page 134 of the programme for Government refers to the completion of the Luas cross-city line and states "[a] decent public transport system is essential to the everyday lives of so many citizens". That is undoubtedly true, but, with the opening of the new cross-city Luas line, the green line has gone overnight from being a very reliable to an unpredictable and unreliable commuter service for many of my constituents in Dublin-Rathdown. What short and long-term measures will the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport take to tackle capacity issues, erratic scheduling and the issue of delayed trams which are frustrating commuters daily. The Minister referenced these issues in the House last month as "teething problems," but the problems grow day by day. When will the Minister's infancy period end? The problems seem to be avoidable and signal, as usual, a lack of proper planning and joined-up thinking in the expansion of the green line, which is to be warmly welcomed. I realise the full roll-out of trams with greater capacity is to happen soon, but it will not fix all of the issues with the Luas.

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