Connemara bus stops
Deputy Ó Cuív complained that new Connecting Ireland bus routes in Connemara still left bus stops far too distant from homes and asked when promised extra stops would come. The Chair cut him off twice, and the Minister said he would ask the Transport Minister about the route and return to the matter soon.
The Minister for Transport is always boasting about the Connecting Ireland programme and, on the surface, it looks good that we are, at last, getting some rural public transport services. There are two services in Connemara from An Cheathrú Rua to Claremorris and from An Cheathrú Rua to Clifden. So far, so good. There is only one snag, which is that, with a bus service, you need bus stops, but some of the bus stops are up to 10 km apart. That means, having got to the main road, people have to walk up to 5 km in one direction to get a bus.
One lady rang my office during the week and told me something that is typical of what is happening. She said she had to walk 3 km along the main road to get to the bus. If you are going to walk that far, you will probably take your car and go the whole way.
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We were promised months ago that more bus stops would be provided. Bus Éireann will pick people up-----
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-----at any safe spot along the road. When will we get action in dealing with this problem?
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cuív. Cuirfidh mé ceist ar an Aire Iompair faoin slí idir An Cheathrú Rua agus An Clochán agus Claremorris freisin. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuige go luath faoi sin.