Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)

Public transport is a very important issue for everyone in the city and throughout the country, with thousands relying on buses and trains to get to and from work and to go about their daily lives. However, our transport network has been let down by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments, which have promised much and delivered little. Nowhere has this been clearer than with regard to the metro in Dublin, which seems to have been going on forever. Since 2002, the project has been delayed multiple times, with countless Ministers announcing that the metro is on its way only for nothing to happen. The city needs urgent action on public transport to create a safe, affordable, reliable and accessible public transport network. We need the delivery of the metro and the Luas expansion to be accelerated, as well as improving the bus network to better serve communities with cheaper fares and more regular services. I hope BusConnects will help with this.

The Luas to Ringsend has been consistently delayed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Ringsend is an area with a rapidly growing population, particularly with 3,500 new homes to be built on the glass bottle site. There will be 10,000 new residents. The previous Government kicked the decision to deliver the Luas out by ten years. While I hear some Government backbench TDs speak about a 15-minute city, the reality is the decisions and actions of the Government will not make this possible. Expansion needs to be delivered in advance of the glass bottle site development being completed. We need the Government to think ahead and not neglect the issue and have to try to play catch up.

We also need public transport to be safer. The lack of dedicated transport police results in serious and often criminal antisocial behaviour, leaving passengers and transport workers in fear. I ask the Minister to comment on this. We all have many stories about people who are afraid to travel on the DART.The red line on the Luas can be chaotic but people have a view that the DART is safe. I know from having spoken to many people that they regularly feel unsafe and threatened on the DART.

Cycling infrastructure also needs to be significantly improved to ensure safer, more accessible options for active travel. Dublin deserves a modern, efficient and safe public transport system. The time for empty promises is over and it is time for real investment and action.