Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I very much agree with the Minister on supporting services in and out of Macroom. Ballingeary and Inchigeelah only have one bus to Macroom a day, which leaves people having to return home very early in the day. In the absence of bus options, we see huge tailbacks at the Ballincollig bypass near the EMC facility and at Leemount Cross. Macroom is being choked. Bus services to both those villages need to be improved. People also want to be able to get in and out to Cork and that bus service needs to be advanced. These needs have already been recognised. There are new sewerage schemes in Dripsey, Coachford and Ballyvourney, for example, which are advancing further housing development. There will be a need for bus services to Cork and Macroom. That will not happen instantly but the Minister needs to advance those plans. Background work has already been done on those plans, which should not be parked up. The Minister should be bringing along those plans and making bus service improvements available to people within months, rather than pushing them off into the never-never or for several years.

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