Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week in Cork we saw the announcement of BusConnects. Unfortunately, huge areas of Cork that will miss out on any public transport or proper public transport. Rural areas that have come into the city boundary are particularly affected. The Government talks about the importance of reducing the effects of climate change, of saving the environment, and about preventing global warming. Yet, the things that make the most sense, that will not destroy people’s lives, are just not being done. Areas such as Carrignavar, Whitechurch, and many other areas on the periphery of the city, will only have buses every two hours. How does this provide public transport for people?

Over the summer, we were canvassing, knocking on doors, and meeting people again. We were going to houses where there were four cars. The husband and the wife both had a car, as did the son who might be going to college and the daughter who might be going to work. There were four cars at each house. If we are talking about proper transport systems and about proper public transport, how we are going to get people out of their cars? For many people living in these towns and villages, what has come out of COP26 means nothing to them. BusConnects, which they need, means nothing to them because it is not being provided. That is down to the Government’s failure, to the failure of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and of the Green Party, to deliver proper public transport.

Alongside this, there is the scandalous price of public transport, in particular the train from Dublin to Cork. I checked the price this afternoon. The cost of bringing a family of two adults and two children up from Cork to Dublin by train is almost €200. The Government is trying to get people out of their cars. People have to go to Dublin for events, holidays or what have you. How can you justify that kind of expenditure, compared with using a car? If you use a car, you can stop off and get food and fuel and it would be at least half the price of the train. The Government needs to care about providing public transport that is affordable to people. You cannot travel by bus from many parts of Cork to the city and many people cannot afford to use the train.

See this speech in context