Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support Deputy Bruton in the context of what he said. It may sound really peculiar that a TD from Longford-Westmeath is speaking about Clongriffin, but I was at that train station at 6.30 a.m. It is an area I am very familiar with. I utterly concur with the sentiment of feeling abandoned. It is grossly unfair. The Minister spoke of the access from the Baldoyle side. I recommend that he visit the area and takes a look at this hub. Certainly, in my constituency, we are green with envy that this type of station exists there, but it has not reached its potential. That potential could have a huge impact on the residents in the immediate area, but also those in surrounding areas. It was quite late yesterday evening as I was existing Clongriffin train station and I counted six cars parked on the road outside the train station. They were at the entrance to the train station. The station has gone through a very turbulent period, particularly in the context of antisocial behaviour and vandalism, but there is work being done to address that. Access is a real issue. There is also an issue regarding the walk from the train station down to where the buses park. The walkway is incredibly dark. The street lights do not work. The steps are there and the wheeled access is already in situ, but it strikes me as somewhere where there has been a lack of joined-up thinking. It is quite close by. I advise the Minister to get the DART out to the station and to have a look at what the potential of this area could be. At the moment, it is not reaching that potential and it is very unfair for those who live in the immediate area.

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