Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

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

“notes that:— public bus and rail services provide an essential environmentally friendly service and their use should be promoted;

— Dublin Bus provides a vital and necessary public service for all citizens in Dublin and its greater area, and should receive investment to ensure that its services are maintained, improved and enhanced to meet the needs of a vibrant capital city; and

— as with any proposed change to public services, the necessary consultation has caused some anxiety and worry to some members of the public in the last eight weeks since the BusConnects consultations have commenced; andagrees that:— the current proposals put forward by the National Transport Authority via BusConnects for changing bus routes across Dublin and its greater area be reviewed in the context of all submissions received during this consultation process so that all communities in Dublin and surrounding counties see the enhanced benefits of the new BusConnects scheme; and

— the reconfigured plan, when completed, should be fully communicated to all local communities and further consultation undertaken if required."

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the issues raised, particularly in light of this Government's serious commitments outlined in Project Ireland 2040 which launched earlier this year. That includes the national planning framework and the ten-year national development plan. While I agree with the opening aspects of that motion, my agreement stops there. I am proposing an amendment to the motion and call on the House to support it.

I am a little puzzled by the Fianna Fáil position here and maybe its Members could explain it to us. I understand that they welcomed this project with open arms. I fully understand but will not accept the amendment from Sinn Féin, where there is a consistency which is predictable. I do not agree with it but they have had a consistent line on public transport. Sinn Féin's amendment condemns privatisation. I suspect, possibly with mischief aforethought, that they are suggesting that this is in some way a road to privatisation, where we are not going, but at least it shows consistency and we know where we stand. The situation with Fianna Fáil is deeply confusing. BusConnects is a project which was welcomed by Deputy Troy, Fianna Fáil's spokesperson on transport, as a project which was vital to keep Dublin moving. That was his initial reaction to it. He said on 12 June, "The BusConnects project represents the opportunity to get this investment underway."

He was encouraging and I welcome that encouragement. I am disappointed that today we have a motion before the House that is hostile to the direction in which BusConnects is going. Nevertheless, I think the overall Fianna Fáil position is that the party welcomes the initiative even though it wants to see the consultations go ahead, which we all do.

When Deputy Chambers says he feels the whole system is wrong I think he is in direct conflict with other members of his party. On 2 July, Deputy John Lahart, who is the Fianna Fáil Party spokesman on Dublin and issues of this sort, welcomed the BusConnects launch and along with his colleague in the Seanad, he could not wait to get into a photograph holding the BusConnects brochure high, so enthusiastic was his welcome for this particular project. He wanted to be identified with it. He said it was a great project. I have a photograph of him at the launch with the BusConnects maps behind him-----

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