Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. He and I have had many debates in the House on transport, most recently relating to the inefficiency of buses in Limerick. Following my debate with the Minister, I have had meetings with Bus Éireann and the local authority to get updates on how services might be improved. To date, while there have been some very small improvements, realistically many of the issues have yet to be addressed. I know the local authority and Bus Éireann are working on more real-time efficiencies rather than increased efficiencies. They were advertising the bus every 15 minutes but it was not quite working. One day recently three or four As arrived at the bus stop at the one time. While they are looking at it, there are many other aspects of the transport system that need to be looked at.

The Minister mentioned Project Ireland 2040 in his statement. On the previous occasion I raised the matter, one of the responses the Minister gave was looking at a metropolitan link between Limerick and places such as Shannon Airport. While I welcome that as a great addition, I would love to see some of the trials happening outside Dublin with some of the links starting in rural areas, perhaps on the western seaboard.

Recently it was announced that the number of cruise ships coming into Dublin Port would be curtailed. I would be concerned about the knock-on effect that might have on Shannon Foynes Port where many cruise liners dock in the summer. This in turn leads to tourists coming to visit places such as King John's Castle, Bunratty Castle, Adare and many scenic places on the Wild Atlantic Way that are a counterbalance to Dublin. We need to disperse our tourism and encourage people to move outside Dublin. These cruise liners coming into Shannon Foynes Port have a knock-on effect for Limerick, Kerry and Clare because there is connectivity between the various places. I would be interested to hear what the Minister has to say on that.

Cycle lanes and cycling as an alternative means of transport have been mentioned. It is ironic to think that one of the main people who has been highlighting the inefficiencies of the bus transport in Limerick was knocked off his bicycle recently. He was looking at alternative ways of getting to work rather than using the inefficient bus service, even though it was a car that knocked him off his bicycle. I wish him a speedy recovery. We need to look at safer cycling, especially in urban areas. We do not have very many cycle lanes. Using Limerick as an example, we have the Coca Cola bikes in some locations but not in locations with considerable footfall. There are some in the greater city area. Mary Immaculate College and the University Hospital Limerick are in the outskirts. I would like to see this scheme expanded to locations where there is footfall.

I would like to hear the Minister's thoughts on park-and-ride facilities. I have visited the very successful Black Ash park-and-ride system in Cork run by Bus Éireann and the local authority. I would love to see something like this extended to other cities. It is about trying to increase footfall. Many cities are suffering from the doughnut effect with little footfall in the shops in the city centres. We need to look at different ways to do our business.

I would like the Minister to put park-and-ride facilities and our ports on the agenda. He should also consider having pilot schemes outside the greater Dublin area.