Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

Quite a number of people will drive to Limerick as the road network is very modern. They can buy a house in Newcastle West as it is much cheaper than in Limerick city and its suburbs. If they live on the Newcastle West side of the city, they will often get to their factory destination quicker than if they lived on the opposite side of the city. However, the retrograde step was taken many years ago to close down the railway line. It is a pity we did not have some foresight on that occasion. Charleville Station is very modern and Kilmallock is quite close by. The train passes through Kilmallock and the station there needs upgrading. We should look at opening Kilmallock Station for certain train times as it is very important for an expanding town and community. In the other direction, we have been looking at opening up the line from Ennis to Claremorris. While that is desirable, we should look at the extended network and see where it is possible to open stations, such as that in Kilmallock.

The train service has improved considerably to different locations. However, people in Sligo will be envious when they see these aerodynamic trains operating from Cork next year and compare it with the final part of the line to Sligo, where the train must slow down to 15 km/h. I wonder whether those in the west still feel deprived. Opening up the line to Claremorris and extending it to Sligo in the future is a very long-term project. Regrettably, people do not think in the long term and there is an immediacy when taking decisions. Much of what is in this transport plan takes a long-term viewpoint. Many of the measures to be taken will occur after the next general election. That is why people are dubious about the plan. The Government embraced too much in this plan and went for the big bang launch. There were similar launches in the past, such as that for the National Development Plan 2000-06. That road infrastructure and much of the rail infrastructure was a component of that plan but it did not happen.

There was a big launch for the national spatial strategy but who talks about it now? There was also a big launch for the reform of the health service but the past year has shown the type of difficulties that prevail there. Similarly, much of the transport launch this week was for the optics to give the impression the Government is doing something for the future. However, I wonder about the scale of, and intention behind, all of this. It has left many people behind. I read in one of the newspapers today about the Taoiseach planting a tree five years ago at the location of a proposed community college in Athy. The tree is progressing but the people have not seen the school, despite a commitment given. It is why people must be dubious when they see the grand scale of the transport plans.

There was considerable hostility among members of the business community who were inconvenienced and lost out economically during the construction of the Luas lines, lines which have not met. We were all aware of the publicity and of the criticism levelled at public representatives. However, that was a small scale project. The Minister said St. Stephen's Green will be like Grand Central Station. That is nonsense. Some 69 lines meet in Grand Central Station in New York City. The Minister should get real in respect of St. Stephen's Green.