James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Transport to the House for a debate on the quality of our public transport, which is the worst in Europe, particularly the rail network. I know people in the midlands who leave home at 6 a.m. but still miss midday flights to Britain and elsewhere. This shameful situation exists because of the ridiculous regulation that drivers must change at Maynooth, which causes serious delays. We have been also told by the chairman of Iarnród Éireann that rolling stock on the Sligo to Dublin line that was promised for 2007 will not be delivered until 2009. This must be addressed.

I welcome the U-turn by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the deadline for the completion of the electoral register. Councils will still be under pressure to meet the new deadline. Will the Seanad sit on Friday to introduce the emergency legislation that the Attorney General says is necessary to achieve this? This proves this is a bad Administration because the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.