Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree with what the Deputy is saying about that route. There is the other main spine on the north side. Introducing a suburban rail service from Midleton right the way through to Mallow with eight stations also needs to be accelerated. It was in the plan but it was further out. These projects might need to come first and one of the benefits of coming first is that we get transport-led development of Cork. Cork has been hollowed out as everyone moved to Carrigaline, Ballincollig or further afield. We need to bring life back into the centre of Cork and I mention the Mahon to Ballincollig route and the Mallow to Midleton route. There is potential for huge development in the docklands on one side of the Lee on the old Dunlop site and on the Tivoli docks on the other side. That would be dramatic. I would put a cycling and foot bridge across the river there. We have to hold back on getting more road connections but some of those connections would provide a strong development to Cork right on the river and close to the centre. It would be a spectacular place to live.

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