Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am delighted the Minister of State is here. I compliment him on his appointment and I wish him well. I have been working with him on many issues. I look forward to engaging fully. We have a rail service from Waterford to Limerick. It is wholly inadequate. I get on the train in Cahir and change at Limerick Junction. Cahir train station is not open. People cannot buy a ticket. Níl aon leithreas ann. Is baile an-lárnach agus an-mhór ar fad é Cluain Meala and it is the same way. The station is there, and buses are all stopped there, but the train station is locked. Tá sé dúnta. It is not good enough that people may have had a long journey and want to use the toilets or facilities. It is the same for Carrick-on-Suir. People cannot buy tickets. Passengers have to buy a ticket on the train or at Limerick Junction when they change. We need huge investment in the Waterford strategic line through Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel and Cathair Dún Iascaigh and onto Tipperary town. Again, that station is closed but my daughter does not get on there. There is a train every hour at Limerick Junction. It is a great central service. I salute the drivers, office staff, floor staff and ground staff in Limerick Junction and Thurles. They are exceptional. I got the train yesterday at 3.45 p.m. in Thurles. I was in this Chamber at 6 p.m. after getting the bus from Heuston Station. We are blessed to have that. We need to look after this small line and upgrade it to allow the trains to go faster.

Importantly, it should be ar oscailt i gcónaí and people should know about it. Nobody knows the train goes from Cahir. There are very few people I meet. There is absolutely no marketing. I am sure it is the same from Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel or Tipperary town. People do not know. They ask me how I get a train from Cahir. I reply that I go to the station. They do not believe it. We must praise the staff who are in there. It is a strategic line. It is important to the south-east region. It is so important to Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford. We must invest in that line to make sure there are more trains. There are only a number of services per day. There is one in the morning at Cahir at 8.25 a.m. There is not another one until the evening. There is only one tonight. My daughter has gone home on it today. The 5 p.m. train from Heuston to Cahir is the only one. We need more trains on. We definitely need the leithris ar oscailt. God, we do. It is not fair for people to come off a bus or a train and have no facilities. It is just not good enough. They are fine stations. They are lovely iconic buildings. They are need of some repairs, but they must be kept open and functional. It is pity that we have not done so. I look forward to engaging with the Minister of State. I ask him to come down and visit to see for himself. Bheadh fíorfháilte roimhe chuig Tiobraid Árann theas.

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