Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an t-ábhar seo an-tábhachtach di agus dá constituents ar fad ar an taobh eile den chathair. Today I want to speak about issues relating to the National Transport Authority, NTA, and the proposed changes to a bus route but in particular the lack of consultation with my constituents. Will the Minister of State provide a current update on what the NTA proposes? The proposed merger of the 80 and 130 routes would be catastrophic because, according to the NTA, the reason for ghost buses relates to to cross-city travel and longer routes. Instead, could we be reassured that the current routes would be served more regularly, especially at peak times? I get the bus into town in the morning and I see two or three buses going by while I am at the bus stop. That is not down to the drivers - the drivers on Dublin Bus are really hard-working men and women - but is due to resources and the current number of buses at various times.
The lived experience of my constituents is very fragile. I spoke earlier this week to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste about children, elderly people and those with a disability who have the current bus system as part of their routine. They do not like changes to their routine. They were not sufficiently consulted. The former 123 bus now stops on the other side of the river, not near O'Connell Street. It is a change to people's routine. While this might not make a difference to everyone, it does to them.
I heard Members of the House speak about an NTA-run taxi app. One of my constituents, P.J. Ryan, has pushed me to raise this. It is a very important issue. It is something else that could be examined.
Is there any update on the 130 bus? Will the Minister of State's office please consult the NTA to reassure my constituents that if there are changes, they will be consulted and that there will be more frequent buses? This merger must be stopped. I cannot understand how we have allowed no public consultation to occur and how people are just being told their bus route is going to change. It makes no sense. The data behind the decision in regard to current reliability, cancellations, and time performance of the current bus routes must be published so that the public can see the rationale behind this.
Ghost buses must be tackled urgently in respect of the failure with real-time information. We all receive hundreds of emails weekly from the public. It is a bus system and the issue should be very simple to solve. Public transport must be reliable in order to reduce traffic congestion. We spoke this week about remote working and reducing traffic congestion. Another key issue in tackling traffic congestion is reliable bus services.
I also want to flag other issues on the north side on which people were not consulted. The first is the changes to the DART station at Donaghmede. Iarnród Éireann insisted that a leaflet drop occurred. I emailed Iarnród Éireann about that again asking for the date and time of the leaflet drop in estates but I got no reply. I raised it directly with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and he has now emailed Iarnród Éireann. I know that does not relate to the 130 bus but it is part of the broader theme about the public needing to be consulted. The public know where the faults lie in the public transport system. Will the Minister of State give me an update on the 130 bus and on any data from the NTA?
Given that the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, has responsibility for special education, I would love to raise with him Stapolin Educate Together National School. All the Deputies have raised it. It is very important.
