Garret Kelleher (Fine Gael)

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Buttimer agus an Aire, an Teachta O’Brien as ucht bheith i láthair sa Seanad inniu chun cúrsaí iompair a phlé linn. Mar atá déanta ag Seanadóirí eile, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an mbeirt acu.

I have listened with interest to all the contributions to the debate thus far and there is a common thread among many of them. This was something that was raised in a debate we had previously on balanced regional development, that is, the disproportionate lack of investment at a large infrastructural level in projects in the north-western and southern regions. Listening to the contributions of my colleagues regarding projects like the A5, the M20 Cork-Limerick motorway and the western rail corridor as well as investment in our regional airports, I sincerely hope today's contributions are looked at when it comes to the NDP.It is vital, as Senator Blaney said previously, to try to counteract the disproportionate investment we have seen in the eastern and midlands regional areas and to have "positive discrimination", which is the term that was used, towards the two regions that have been neglected.

In the same vein, I begin my contribution by raising the proposed introduction of the Luas light rail system in Cork, of which the Minister of State will be well aware. I have no doubt that when this service is delivered, it will prove to be transformational for our city and its suburbs and will give families and households in Cork the chance to have one car outside the door, or perhaps none at all, instead of two or three. While I appreciate I am stating the obvious, for the Cork Luas system to have maximum impact in getting cars off our roads and reducing traffic congestion, it must fully serve our most densely populated areas, schools, key community facilities and large centres of employment.

The published emerging preferred route of the light rail system is an 18 km line from Ballincollig town centre in the west, through Cork city centre and on to Mahon Point in the east. The fact the current proposed service ends in Ballincollig town centre is a massive error as it will not adequately serve the population of our local community or make sufficient provision for future population growth in our area. It is commonly accepted that for a light rail service to be considered a viable transport option for a local resident, a stop must be located within 1 km of that person's home. Based on the 2022 census, the current preferred route would serve approximately 11,700 people in the Ballincollig area or 58% of our town's population. In other words, it would not adequately serve 8,500 people or 42% of the current population in our community. If we then factor in the expected future population growth in the Maglin area in the south of Ballincollig, where it is expected that approximately 3,500 new homes will be built in the coming years with an expected population increase in the region of 11,000 people, the shortcomings of the proposed system are even more stark.

I had hoped to raise another issue, but I have just realised that I am running short of time, so I ask the Leas-Chathaoirleach to indulge me. It is the issue of the disparity that exists between a private bus operator and the public transport system, especially with the proposal to extend free travel to the under-nines. Given that private bus operators operate services in areas where there is no public transport alternative, I sincerely hope that the matter can be looked at and that private transport operators, 87% of whom operate outside the Dublin area, will be brought under the remit of the proposed extension to the free travel.