Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I welcome the group to the Gallery. I share Senator Ryan's positivity regarding BusConnects and public transport in Limerick. As a country, we are redesigning our bus network and Limerick is at the forefront of that in terms of the provision of more public transport. As I said, there has been a 70% increase in bus services in Limerick city and suburbs, shorter waits, more direct routes, simpler network and scheduling, additional services at weekends and a new 24-hour bus route between UHL, the city centre and the University of Limerick.

In addition, following feedback from the public, the NTA and Bus Éireann are currently considering how best to provide the bus service to Annacotty Business Park as part of the Connecting Ireland programme. Senator Ryan makes a good case and in her letter to the NTA she set out in a detailed way, illustratively and in writing, how the route can be of benefit to everybody. I will bring her contribution to the Department, the Minister and the NTA. It is important that all of us join in the celebration of the roll-out of the redesigned bus routes across Limerick city and county. It is about ensuring we have improvements under the Connecting Ireland programme, including Annacotty Business Park. I will bring the Senator's contribution back. It is about taking more people out of cars and using public transport more. If we can have creative, innovate ways of doing that, let us do it. What the Senator put forward, both in her detailed and comprehensive submission and today in the House, certainly adds value to the offering we can provide in Limerick.