Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Rural communities are the most at risk of energy and transport poverty. That is according to a new study from a variety of universities which claim that rural residents in Ireland are most at risk due to a lack of access to national heating infrastructure, a high risk of power cuts and the fact they live in older homes with poor insulation. Transport poverty issues are linked to the lack of nearby goods, services and jobs, as well as poorer services when it comes to public transport. Rural villages across Ireland have no access to viable public transport, even under the Connecting Ireland plan the Government published for public consultation a few weeks ago. The National Transport Authority, NTA, plan only proposes an overall increase of 25% in rural bus services, and a 25% increase on nothing amounts to little, let us face it. A frequent, reliable and direct public transport system is key to reducing rural isolation and reducing dependency on cars. However, the Government simply does not get the importance of public transport outside the M50.

I am blue in the face from saying the same thing over and over in the Dáil. The Government wants us to reduce our carbon footprint but without proper and adequate transport. There is not a hope in hell this can be done. We were further ahead in the 1960s, when we had a train network that extended all over west Cork, right down to my own parish of Schull and down into Bantry and places like that, than we are in 2021.

At the same time, in saying that, I welcome the plan that was published last week. There is obviously room for change and, when having a meeting with the NTA, it was generally accepted that we would have a bit of feedback into the plan. I see that services will run five times a day on the Baltimore to Union Hall route and three times a day on the Dunmanway to Kinsale route, which will take in Clonakilty, Courtmacsherry, Kilbrittan and Ballinspittle. Services will also run three times a day from Dursey to Kilcrohane, Castletownbere, Glengarriff, Bantry and that area and there is also Mizen Head to Castletownshend, which includes Goleen, Schull and Ballydehob. I have concerns and I will be working with the NTA going forward in regard to areas like Drinagh and Ballinacarriga. The route from Goleen and Durrus to Bantry is not being serviced, and there is also Lisheen, Ardfield, Inchydoney, Timoleague, Ballyroe and Newcestown, and out to Ardgroom, Eyeries and Allihies. These are areas that need to be looked at. They cannot be exempted and let go. The very focused, frequent service that people get in Dublin is what we should be getting in rural Ireland.

Cork Local Link has been excellent in rolling out services in the last number of years. It should be connected with West Cork Connect, which is another service that is coming out of Skibbereen and Bantry several times a day to Cork. We also need to look at late-night services. We cannot just say we are going to provide a service in the morning. Young people want to use public transport and the Government is advising us to use public transport. It is another area that needs to be looked at.

We need to look at school transport. We put proposals to the Government in our budget submission that we would cut down on the original 3 km limit for children going to school, which is very important.

I am assuming that all these new NTA plans will include the PSO routes so that young people will get the 50% deduction on all this travel going forward. It is an interesting time and I hope the Government can deliver immediately.

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