Seanad debates

Thursday, 22 October 2020

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Mary FitzpatrickMary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his generosity. I will be brief. Today is the first day of the lockdown. Everybody working in front-line services obviously has our support but I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Transport to address, with Dublin Bus, the provision of public bus services in the city.Ordinarily a Dublin Bus double-decker will carry more than 100 passengers but because of the restrictions only 17 passengers will be allowed on them. We encourage parents and children use the public bus service to go to school. During the lockdown earlier this year, we had good weather and children were home from school, but we are now entering the period of worse weather, darker mornings, afternoons and evenings with less capacity on the buses. I am not asking Dublin Bus to do anything that would be in any way dangerous for either the drivers or the passengers but we need to ensure the full capacity of the bus service is made available to commuters in the city. The Leader will know that people commute from County Meath and far beyond the city. However, by the time the buses get to the Navan Road, Cabra or Drumcondra the city commuters cannot actually board. It was not too bad this morning because although it was cold, it was dry but it will be lashing rain soon enough. We need to ensure everything is being done to maximise capacity on the Dublin Bus service.

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