Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the debate, but five minutes is a ridiculously short time for each Member's contribution.

I wish to start with the good stuff the Government is doing in tackling climate change, particularly in the transport area. Public transport in Dublin is being transformed and will continue to be transformed by MetroLink, BusConnects and the DART expansion. I hope they will proceed with the consent of everybody. I acknowledge there are issues regarding MetroLink, which have been addressed by the National Transport Authority, NTA. I praise the NTA for its commitment, research, and capacity to listen and change plans if needs be.

I live in a constituency where an increasing number of people commute. The DART expansion to Drogheda to will have a major beneficial effect, planned, as it is, with new hybrid diesel trains. Irish Rail is in the process of ordering up to 500 carriages, which will come to Drogheda well in advance of the electrification of the line.

There is a new sense of urgency in the debate. We all hear and understand the views of young people. I visited a primary school this morning and all the questions were about what I was doing about climate change. I welcome the involvement of young people in changing some of our views, and ensuring our agenda and our priorities change.

One thing that should change quicker than all those transport projects I mentioned is the use of strategic park-and-ride facilities on the approach to cities. For example, a 4,000 space car park-and-ride facility is planned for the Malahide Estuary. It should be fast-tracked so that people can connect from the estuary to the city as their schedule of work demands.

My colleague from Roscommon made an important point regarding rural versus urban interests. We do not need to have this conflict in our society - similar to the yellow vest problems in France - with rural communities up in arms against increases in taxes, which is exactly what Deputy Fitzmaurice was talking about. What is needed is prior notice, consultation, and encouraging and supporting change particularly in rural communities that are adversely impacted but do not have public transport because of the low density of population in them. I welcome the Government's commitment to rural transport links. I do not know about Roscommon, but I believe 40 or 50 community buses run every week in Kerry. They support people in the absence of a commercial or Bus Éireann service to meet those needs.

People living in rural communities who have to come into towns were concerned about Deputy Dooley's commentary as Fianna Fáil spokesperson transport, when he questioned the veracity of the road network programme planned by the Government, which is needed.

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