Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)

Unlike the Government, Sinn Féin has a plan to deliver an affordable, reliable and safe public transport system. This is key to building sustainable, connected communities. I moved to Swords 35 years ago. When I moved there, the population was 17,000; now it is almost 48,000. Unfortunately, the transport system has not kept up with the demands of the growing population. The then Fianna Fáil Government promised to deliver metro north. Thirty-five years on, it may have been rebranded as MetroLink but it has still failed to deliver. Consecutive Governments have flip-flopped on the metro and now the Government cannot agree on when construction is likely to start. You could not make this up.

While the Government dithers, people are being denied decent public transport. Traffic jams remain a reality for people commuting every day. The NTA and Fingal County Council are starting major works on the R132 to introduce cycle and bus lanes, reducing each side of the road by one lane, starting in October. I have spoken to local bus companies. This will cause major traffic problems and should only be done in parallel with metro works. It may be more deliverable and cost-effective to look at other options, like a rail link between Clongriffin and the airport and on to Swords, as an interim measure while we continue to wait.

The Government's lack of public transport plans affects ordinary people going about their daily lives. The bus services in Swords are inconsistent.

Disappearing buses cause hardship, and the ludicrous practices that drivers are instructed to follow just do not work. The 33 bus from Donabate regularly does not turn up. When it does, it is an overcrowded single-decker vehicle. This needs to change, and we have a plan.

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