asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware that owing to the alteration of train timetables and the by-passing of Dunkettle, Little Island, Cobh Junction, and Fota Stations, a large number of workers and schoolchildren are without public transport to their work and school, respectively; if a public transport company is entitled to withdraw train services without providing alternative transport; and if he will grant a licence to private bus companies to take these people to and from work and school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Transport Services.
23.
Subject to the provisions of the Transport Act, 1958 the arrangement of train services on any line is a matter entirely for the Board of C.I.E.
I am informed by the Board that in order to meet growing competition from private motor cars with the Cork/ Cobh railway services it has been found necessary to omit stops by some trains at the stations named by the Deputy at which the number of passengers travelling by such trains was small in order to speed up the services to suit the needs of the majority of the users of the train services. While this change has caused inconvenience to a small number of persons it has resulted in a much greater increase in the number of passengers travelling on the services.
I am assured by C.I.E. that the position is being kept under constant review and if the traffic potential in the Little Island and Cobh Junction area is found to require it at any time either more trains will call or a bus service will be operated.
I will be prepared at any time to consider an application for a private bus service but subject, of course, to the provisions of the Transport Act, 1932.
Is the Minister aware that there are 63 workers from these four stations who have to go to work each morning or night when they are on night shift, to both Rushbrooke and Cobh, that these 63 people have no means now of getting there; that there are in addition 56 school children; that the number of season tickets and weekly tickets taken at Cobh junction alone amounts to 43? That is not a small or insignificant number of people to be deprived of employment through the breach of the Transport Act by C.I.E. I think the Minister should take some action.
C.I.E. have taken all the relevant factors into account. There are alternative services by bus from these stations, as I understand it. Moreover, C.I.E. have not in any way broken the terms of the Transport Act. There are still trains calling at these stations but not all the trains call.
Is the Minister aware that there is no bus service to Cobh or Rushbrooke—no bus service whatever—and that C.I.E. have provided no alternative service as they are bound to do under the Transport Act?
The Deputy will have much fodder for to-morrow night's speech.
There was not one interruption from the Fianna Fáil benches. If I said that, the claque would go into operation.
Always unfair to you.