Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:"recognises:

— that there is evidence of increasing levels of traffic congestion across the Dublin region; and

— the short, medium and long-term public transport investment priorities identified in Project Ireland 2040 encompassing the National Planning Framework to 2040 and the National Development Plan 2018-2027, will address congestion in the Dublin region and deliver real change on the ground and network-wide benefits across the region;

acknowledges:

— the 2015 Dublin City Centre Transport Study, jointly published by the National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council, which sets out the various measures proposed for Dublin’s city centre to ensure the efficient functioning of transport within the city centre;

— the important role of the National Transport Authority’s Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035 which sets out a clear vision for transport planning in the Dublin region;

— the Government’s investment in recent public transport projects and initiatives across the Dublin region including Luas Cross City, the upgrade to the Phoenix Park Tunnel, bus fleet replacement, sustainable transport projects, improvements to rail and bus station facilities and integration projects to increase public transport use and improve customer experiences through the use of responsive and passenger-friendly smarter technologies;

— the major integrated public transport projects identified as investment priorities in the recently published National Development Plan 2018-2027 which will address growing congestion in the city and capacity constraints on the existing public transport network, including:

— BusConnects (inclusive of ticketing systems, bus corridors, additional capacity, new bus stops and bus shelters);

— Metro Link (a full north-south high-capacity, high-frequency, integrated rail corridor through the central spine of the metropolitan area); and

— Priority elements of the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) Expansion Programme (including investment in new train fleet, new infrastructure and electrification of existing lines);

— the planned investment in park and ride facilities at rail, Luas and bus locations and the continued investment in sustainable transport projects including traffic management and other smarter travel projects along with new urban and cycling routes in Dublin to allow transport infrastructure to function more effectively and relieve congestion; and

— the important role of both the new National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan in the development of an efficient, integrated and sustainable public transport system across the Dublin region; and

calls on the Government to:

— commit to achieving a modern, efficient and effective public transport system at a national and regional level including the Dublin region, in line with the commitments in the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework; and

— request that the National Transport Authority, together with other key stakeholders, continue to pursue strategies for alleviation of congestion in the Dublin region."

I welcome the fact that Deputy Lahart and the other Fianna Fáil Deputies produced this as a topic for debate. It is a bit of an old story now. I seem to be meeting Deputy Lahart on the same subject at the same time, either on Topical Issues or on motions of this sort. If I thought that what he is doing is correct I would say that he is doing his constituents a great favour. However, I do not believe what he is doing is correct. He is persuading them that they are victims of something that has happened because of Government neglect and the fact that Government does not care.

Deputy Lahart said various things about standstills with a great deal of alacrity and pleasure, obviously optimistic that the standstill would continue so that he can make political capital out of it. However, he will not be able to come into this House for much longer and lament in this way. What was so fascinating about what the Deputy said was not the words spoken but rather the omissions. It was extraordinary. He strikes me as someone who is in total and utter denial about what has been happening in transport and about the immediate transport developments in the last week. He was very strong on congestion in Dublin in the last few weeks, and he is correct that the congestion problem in the city has been unacceptable. It has been addressed. What was missing from his speech was acknowledgement of what is going on.

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