Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am very glad to speak on this motion. I am my party's spokesperson on the commuter belt. This is an issue that affects not just me but many of the people I represent. I want to focus on a small number of issues because, like previous speakers, I think a lot has been done on the issue of transport infrastructure. I will suggest some improvements and ideas that the Minister of State might take away with him, focusing largely on bus services, the rail network and roads.

Our bus network has seen significant expansion over recent years. More needs to be done because buses are one area where we can deliver real improvements much more quickly than improvements to the rail or road networks which, of course, take time. Additional buses can be introduced very quickly. We would like to see 500 additional buses added to the Dublin fleet. We would also like to see the completion of the quality bus networks not just in Dublin but also in other cities such as Cork. We would like to see fast-tracking of the park and ride facilities, with express bus services from Dublin to Cork, Limerick and Galway. We would also like to see better route information systems. Information should be provided at bus stops so that when people arrive there, they can get information about the next service. Information should also be sent to mobile phones and displayed on websites. We would like to see a replacement of the travel pass scheme with a new freedom pass that would provide cheaper fares and integration for commuters.

We would also like to see a revision of the way new bus stops are planned. I will give the House an example without being too parochial. Ashbourne in County Meath has grown significantly in recent years yet people must walk a mile to the nearest bus stop. If one asks the county council to provide something, it will say that it is a matter for the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána will tell one to go to Bus Éireann which will pass the buck back to the council.

Last year, I attended a meeting with four county council officials, three councillors, two employees of Bus Éireann and a local garda. The meeting was chaired by a Minister of State. This was just to get a bus stop. That happened over a year ago and we are still waiting for the bus stop. The way we go about planning and implementing something as simple as a bus stop needs to be looked at again. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could give this issue some thought because people have to walk to the nearest bus stop which is at least a mile way.

I also want to raise the issue of the Navan to Dublin railway line. I know the Government is committed to phase one but we have seen a delay happen and I want to be sure this scheme will not slip any further. I would also like to ensure we are serious about extending the line as far as Navan. I know the Minister has spoken in favour of it in the past. However, we need to ensure this line serves not just the people of Navan but also the people of Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne and Ratoath, be it by changing the alignment or by putting in park and ride facilities to allow them to avail of this service.

It is not the only rail project where we need to see improvement and where there have been delays. The construction timetable for the Midleton railway line and the re-signalling of the Maynooth line have slipped and the completion date for Dublin's metro north has changed by two years from 2012 to 2014.

I also support Senator McFadden's call for existing stations to be reopened. I am aware of the station at Killucan. It is far outside my constituency but having seen the business case for it, I think a case certainly exists and I ask the Minister of State to think again about whether the station could be reopened.

When it comes to the issue of roads, we must compliment Transport 21 on delivering some projects on time and some projects before time. An example would be the M1 link to Newry, which has opened and is a fantastic link to the North of Ireland. The N2 bypass of Castleblayney and Monaghan is very welcome for people travelling there and beyond. However, other schemes have seen delays. For example, the Limerick southern ring road has had its completion date moved back to 2010. More work needs to be done there. Senator Ellis mentioned bypasses, on which there needs to be greater focus. The village of Slane, for example, which lies between Ashbourne, which is bypassed, and Castleblayney, is choked with traffic. The village of Julianstown, through which 22,000 vehicles go every day, needs a bypass, as does the village of Duleek.

I must agree with Senator Ellis again on the need for an outer relief road for Dublin, which would result in a reduction of carbon emissions. I do not agree with the Green Party's comments on this, as reported in today's newspapers, where it was described as "stupid" to put such a scheme in place without first ensuring that everybody drives an electric car. I think an outer relief road is essential in terms of emissions reductions. I note that Senator Dan Boyle is looking quizzically at me, but I refer him to today's edition of The Irish Times. Deputy Cuffe was quoted as saying that a Dublin outer orbital route would be "stupid" but I believe it would be a great idea and agree with Senator Ellis on that point.

We can provide for such schemes because there is additional money in the public coffers from the VAT on fuel, given that fuel prices have increased enormously in recent times. With the downturn in the construction sector, there are people available who would be ideally placed to take on these schemes. I ask the Government to focus on increasing the level of bypass building.

Comrade Ross referred to the idea of getting rid of rail fares altogether, which reminded me of a story I heard when I was working for a rail company in the United Kingdom. The Chairman of British Rail was asked why rail fares could not be made cheaper. His response was that if he received the same level of subsidy as the Italian railway network, not only could he eliminate all fares, he could also give all customers a £10 refund at Christmas. One gets what one pays for. If adequate subsidies were made available, we could have free fares. If the Government wants to see improved emissions and more people using public transport, it will have to make the money available.