Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our programme for Government contains some very significant commitments to rural transport and sustainable rural mobility. It commits to developing and implementing a sustainable rural mobility plan and to protecting and expanding regional connectivity and connectivity between towns and villages in rural Ireland.

Unfortunately, what is happening in rural Ireland right now to public transport is the exact opposite. A slow but steady erosion of public transport options is occurring. Just two years ago, Bus Éireann decided to remove a number of towns and villages from the route connecting Dublin city to Galway. Last week, Bus Éireann decided to effectively end the evening and night-time service from Galway city to Gort and all the interconnecting villages between. From now, the services at 6.55 p.m., 8.55 p.m. and 9.55 p.m. have all been cancelled, without any consultation with those availing of them. We urgently need to engage with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and Bus Éireann to ensure this erosion is stopped in its tracks and people have access, as they should have right now, to sustainable rural mobility options.

See this speech in context