Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join Senators Chambers and Black in raising the situation in Palestine and look forward to hearing the comments of the Minister, Deputy Coveney, this evening. I have always believed that as long as there are five permanent members of the UN Security Council, issues such as this can never be truly resolved.

I ask the Leader to accommodate a debate on the issue of rural transport. As we know, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 is currently before the Dáil and will soon come before this House for an important debate on its passage. Its commitments include a target of net zero emissions by 2050 and a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade. Actions for each sector will be detailed in the climate action plan, which will be updated annually.

Transport will be a key area, among others. Many urban dwellers have different options for getting from A to B. People in Dublin have the DART, the Luas and more comprehensive bus and cycle lanes, while there are plans in Galway for BusConnects and it also has greenways, some of which can be used by commuters. Options in rural Ireland, however, are limited and, where present, expensive. If we are serious about reducing car use and thereby emissions, rural transport will have to be examined to improve the public transport spines and to interconnect the local public transport systems that are in play. I ask that we have a debate on the issue of public transport. It will be key in respect of emissions reduction and have a practical benefit for all rural residents.