Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a similar disability issue which relates to the DART line. A lot of public money was spent installing bridges over the DART line at stations like Blackrock and Booterstown. They are very effective and easy to use except when the lifts are not working. It seems that, from time to time, lifts go out of order and there is no urgency to fix them, which means people with mobility issues, in particular wheelchair users, are stuck when they get to the DART station and find they cannot get to the platform on the other side, or worse, they arrive at a DART station and then find they cannot leave the station. I ask the Minister to impress upon Iarnród Éireann the urgency of fixing lifts when they break because they are a vital component of providing accessible transport solutions for everyone.

With regard to the Luas, there has been a real missed opportunity. Maybe the ship has sailed but given there is a corridor for the Luas, there is ample opportunity to have a parallel cycle lane next to the Luas, particularly as it brings people from the suburbs into the city centre. If it is still possible to do that, it should be done throughout the network. We are not allowed to bring our bikes on the Luas, and I say that as somebody who has been thrown off the Luas for carrying a bike. It is a real shame that we cannot do that.