Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with other speakers in asking the Minister for Transport to come to the House to have a debate on the decision by Bus Éireann regarding its intercity Expressway service, in particular, the route from Cork to Dublin.If we believe in the principle and the value of public service and public transport, we should debate and discuss this decision, not just in this House but also at the transport committee. We listened to the debate during the general election campaign about commuters, traffic and trying to end gridlock. The issue of public transport is now vital, and interconnectivity between our regional cities and towns is critical. The cutting of five routes makes no sense whatsoever to me. I ask Members to read the remarks of Councillor Declan Burgess from Cashel on the import of the decision for students, tourism, potential jobs and Cashel itself. I ask for a debate on the issue of public transport and connectivity. At a time when we have a new metropolitan strategy being unveiled for Cork, it makes no sense for Bus Éireann to terminate the Expressway service.

I concur with my colleagues' remarks on the post office network and the report commissioned by the IPU and published today by Grant Thornton. We should debate it in the House.