Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for making herself available to take it. As many Members of both Houses will know - the Minister of State has often heard me speak about this matter during my time in the Lower House - public transport is a key issue and key priority for me and the people of south Kildare. Newbridge is very much in the commuter belt, with many thousands of people commuting from there, and the area around it, every day. I regularly speak to constituents in all parts of south Kildare who rightly complain about the lack of appropriate public transport, and issues relating to reliability and a complete lack of rural transport linkages into towns such as Kildare and Newbridge, to avail of buses and trains to our main hubs, including Dublin.

If we are serious about giving people real options to avoid using their cars, we have to improve our public transport offering. Public transport must be consistent, reliable, accessible and affordable. For example, I have received a number of complaints over the years, and the past few months, about the 120 bus route. I am pleased its reliability has somewhat improved following my engagements with the National Transport Authority. I will give the Minister of State a flavour of the reality of using public transport in rural Ireland; I am sure she is well used to this in County Galway. One constituent had an important meeting at 10.30 a.m. in Clane. She waited more than one hour for the 9.32 a.m. bus, which never showed up. Likewise, the 4.30 p.m. on the 120 bus route from Clane did not appear that evening. She waited more than three hours for the next bus to appear. That is simply an appalling service. I am told people have waited more than three hours at that bus stop for the same bus. Many of them have lost count of the number of times the 120 has failed to arrive. Another constituent had an appointment at the eye and ear hospital and, inevitably, the bus did not arrive. That person had to frantically ring around to try to get a lift but could not, and then had to arrange a taxi at huge expense. Those are just two examples of the issues.

I have been a very vocal advocate for the extension of the short hop zone. I happen to be wearing blue today but am genuinely nearly blue in the face raising the plight of commuters in south Kildare. Newbridge railway station is not within the confines of the short hop zone, which means commuters cannot benefit from Leap card or fare arrangements. To purchase a return ticket this morning from Newbridge to Dublin Heuston and back costs €16.90. That is just for the train to Heuston. It does not cover any other public transport costs that would be incurred to get from the station in Newbridge into the centre of Dublin and on to Leinster House. However, if I travelled from Sallins, which is the next station and is in the short hop zone, I would get from Newbridge to Heuston to the city centre and back for €7.20. That is a 57% difference in price between stations that are just 12 km apart by rail. It is not fair and needs to be addressed.

It is not just an issue in the area where I live. From conversations with other Senators in my party and Deputies, this is happening on all the fringes of Dublin. Such a drastic price differential is forcing many commuters to drive to Sallins station, which is in the short hop zone, to avail of cheaper fares and the Leap card capping facility. That is a crazy situation. I know families who have second cars in order that they can leave Newbridge, travel on the road and park their car in Sallins. Many need a second car to enable them to bring their children who are students. I would appreciate it if the Acting Chair would indulge me a half a minute. These houses have passed the climate Act. Ireland is now on a legally binding path to net zero emissions no later than 2050 and a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade. As it stands, people are driving what are often single-occupied vehicles past their local public train station to another station inside the zone because we are crucifying them on fares. It does not make sense.

To hear the media kite flying the suggestion of imposing a congestion charge, which I understand has been rightly delayed, is quite unbelievable. We cannot introduce a congestion charge until we have accessible and affordable fares. If we are serious about incentivising people to use public transport, we need to do just that. We need to incentivise and we need to be fair. I know so many people in Newbridge and Kildare who would love to leave the car at home and use public transport to get them to work and college. I thank the Acting Chair for his indulgence.