Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and welcome his announcement about the pilot scheme for County Leitrim. I agree we cannot have more of the same, where there is a mismatch. We must start with the very basics, look at where the rural populations are, where they are migrating to work, how they are going to work and how they come back home in the evenings. If Members listen to the AA Ireland traffic reports, they will hear about Claregalway. Every evening we hear about Bothar na dTreabh in Galway. The people who are causing the congestion, if I can put it that way, are the workers from the east of the county who are trying to access the city. We must provide the services so they can access the city in a different way. Some of the finest private bus operators are operating from east County Galway to bring people into the city. However, we cannot get a bus lane built from Claregalway into Galway. It has been planned for maybe the last ten years and still is not done. It is a very simple process as there is no land acquisition required; it is just a question of getting it done. Therefore, it is important we change the headwreck, as I might say, and get on with the job.

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