Imelda Goldsboro (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the Chamber and compliment him on the work he has achieved to date. He has hit the ground running. As spokesperson on transport, I look forward to working with him on several issues which he is aware of in Tipperary.

As an island nation with a dispersed population and an open economy, good connectivity is essential to foster continued economic growth for communities and our tourism industry. By investing in public transport, we will enhance connectivity across urban and rural areas, giving people more choice and supporting sustainable growth. Fianna Fáil is committed to a fundamental change in our transport system. Necessary improvements in climate measures impact air quality as well as our physical and mental well-being. We demand that public transport is better and, most importantly, more accessible for all. Likewise, a modal shift towards sustainable public transport is necessary for Ireland to meet our ambitious emissions reduction targets, including the target of 50% emissions abatement in the transport sector. We are taking action. Budget 2025 allocated €3.9 billion for the Department of Transport, an increase of over €418 million from 2024. This allocation means the public transport roll-out can continue apace across the country.

I need to raise a number of issues in south Tipperary, first of all our rail lines. We need to review this as a matter of urgency in Clonmel, Tipperary town, Carrick-on-Suir and Cahir. We have the facilities but, unfortunately, we do not have the upgrades that are required to make these more user-friendly and more feasible and to provide investment to allow them to become more accessible. Currently, you cannot purchase tickets at a number of these stations. People are unaware of the timetables. The number of trains passing through needs to be increased. Tipperary is a large county and the south has little connectivity with larger cities. People would avail of a regular service if provided. Many people travel for education, work, hospital appointments, etc. The current frequency is not feasible for a large percentage of users, and we need to promote and plan the potential of these areas. The Government's Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan seeks to improve mobility in rural areas by providing better connections between villages and towns, linking these areas with an enhanced regional network and connecting cities and regional centres nationwide. The plan has seen unprecedented progress, with over 100 new or improved bus services across rural Ireland launched so far. The annual patronage on the TFI Local Link services has seen a sevenfold increase since 2018. Continued investment in projects such as Connecting Ireland will benefit rural communities through expanded services on the PSO bus services across the country, as well as expanded services through the TFI Local Link network.

In Tipperary South, we have several villages that have this service and it is proving to be a lifeline for so many people. Unfortunately, it does not exist in all our villages. I am looking for funding to be applied so that the service can be expanded into the areas that do not have any public transport. In Tipperary South, taxis are not very common. This is leading to an increase in social exclusion and rural isolation and, unfortunately, it is causing an awful lot of loneliness for our elderly and vulnerable due to the lack of contact with the outside world. We acknowledge the great services that have been introduced and are very successful, such as the route 891 connecting Carrick-on-Suir to Kilkenny city, which commenced in January 2025. Route 356 Dungarvan to south Tipperary hospital has been particularly successful and is now operating eight daily return services. The CL1, CL2 and CL9 are operating in Clonmel. They have transformed our town. Route CL9 provides an early morning and late night service to facilitate onward travel to Kilkenny, Dublin city and Dublin Airport, and improved connectivity to the wider TFI network. I ask the Minister to look favourably on increasing these services in Tipperary South, and that he would review the existing rail timetable.