Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to refer specifically to the ongoing issue of rural transport. I know I have been beating this drum for quite so time now. The fact remains that rural Ireland is not serviced by an adequate system not to mention the urgent need for wheelchair-accessible transport or our European and international obligations. Those travelling to Cork city each morning from either the Bantry or the Clonakilty sides of my constituency of Cork South West experience huge volumes of traffic that might be alleviated if we had an adequate transport system, which we do not have.

I have been advised as recently as last Monday that the bus leaving Bantry for the city is full by the time it reaches Bandon. This is only half way. This means those waiting in Bandon have no alternative other than wait for the next scheduled service or get into their cars and drive if they are lucky enough to own a car. A person wishing to travel from Drinagh to Skibbereen would need to take a bus to Bantry and double back. Similarly, a person wishing to travel from Dunmanway to Clonakilty would need to take a bus to Bandon and, again, double back. This makes no sense. It is nonsensical and is simply not fair.

It is imperative that the frequency of buses is increased, particularly at rush hour. Additional routes need to be established to link towns and villages in an appropriate way so that people do not have to double back and often double the length of time it takes to get from one village or town to another in west Cork. We need a significant investment in new buses because there is no point in increasing services if there is no fleet.

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