Ailing Kildare public transport system criticised in Dáil

A North Kildare TD has lambasted government transport policy for “driving people away from public transport and back to their cars.”

Deputy Aidan Farrelly (SD) was speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, June 18 when 'Public Transport Experience: Motion [Private Members]' came before the House.

Deputy Farrelly told the Dáil that one of the “starkest” differences between Ireland and other European countries is our poor public transport system.

Under successive governments, he claimed, “one abandoned or delayed public transport plan has followed another.”

The problem, he contended, is that government policy has focused on moving cars in Ireland rather than moving people.

In commuter belts like Co Kildare, he said, the government is “driving people away from public transport and back to their cars.”

Highlighting some areas that he said represent “core failings” of previous governments, Deputy Farrelly raised the issue of BusConnects.

He said: “In Kildare, BusConnects has emphatically disconnected communities. It has had the completely opposite effect to that intended. I am speaking about communities in Leixlip and Celbridge, which had quite functional Dublin Bus services that brought them to and from shops and work. They are now completely disenfranchised from the communities they need to access.

“There are no public transport links to hospitals, including children's hospitals. Regardless of whether it is the C3, which terminates in Maynooth via Leixlip, or the C4, which terminates in Celbridge, what we have here are routes that are completely dysfunctional.

“I implore the Minister and the Minister for State to ask the officials who drew up these routes for the C3 and C4 to use them. They should use these routes and then tell me they are functional, because there is a difference between what were meant to be joined-up routes and services and people left waiting a serious amount of time for buses to arrive.

“It is just not working. A total of €660 million had been spent up to May on a project that has disconnected communities. We have some serious questions to answer.”

Speaking on the issue of disability, Deputy Farrelly said that in 2025, it is “no longer acceptable” for people with disabilities having to give 24 hours' notice before they use public transport.

He said the matter is a rights-based issue, and he would like to see something coming from government with regard to it.

On general transport issues facing the people of North Kildare, Deputy Farrelly said: “Kildare North is a very young and vibrant constituency where young people are trying to socialise, work and access Dublin city using a service like the 120 that finishes at 11 p.m. or 11.30 p.m on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“This route is also completely fractured. The Minister might look at whether we could extend the service on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to allow young people to socialise in town without having to worry about getting a bus home or without driving people back into their cars.

Deputy Farrelly was speaking on a motion tabled by Deputy Roderic O'Gorman (GP.)

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