Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share my time with Senator Carrigy. The Minister is always welcome to the Seanad. I spoke with him many times over the years about travelling by train. I travel by train all the time out of necessity as I do not drive. I often describe myself as the original Green because I travel so much on public transport. I would say 80% of the travelling I do is on public transport. The staff in Iarnród Éireann are outstanding. Everyone from the ticket people to the hosts on the train, right up to Jim Meade, the managing director, are all great people and great public servants. Of course, they need investment, choice, more routes and more trains.

I know the Minister is committed to this agenda. Since he came into office, we have seen an absolute momentum behind train travelling. The initiative in the budget and the cost-of-living measures reducing the cost of travelling for under-25s and all of those measures have worked. I see the numbers travelling by train have ballooned in recent years. On a Thursday evening, returning from Leinster House to Ennis, it is heartening to see that there is only standing room on the train that goes from Limerick Junction at 6 p.m. that gets into Ennis at around 6.45 p.m.

However, we need more railway stations. I have spoken here about the Crusheen stop. I was disappointed in the response to a Commencement matter on Crusheen station yesterday because I truly believe that it would not take a huge amount. They do not need staff because most of these small railway stations, such as Oranmore, are automated anyway. The infrastructure is there and Iarnród Éireann owns the land and property, so it is not that difficult.

I know my time is limited. One issue that needs to be addressed urgently is an early morning train from Dublin to Cork. The first train from Dublin does not get into Cork until 9.50 a.m. That is too late for most people working and most people studying. If you wanted to go from Ennis to Cork, you will only get in at 9.50 a.m. We need, as opposed to a 7 a.m. train from Dublin to Cork, a 5.30 a.m. one that gets in before 9 a.m. that can then support the stations along the route and can be fed from Ennis and Limerick into Cork or into Limerick Junction and change and so on. The Minister needs to look at the route structure and the route times. We need more services and more frequency.