Rural and Community Development Committee to explore ways to boost regional transport

The meeting at 7 p.m. in Committee Room 4 can be viewed live here and on Android and Apple devices using the Houses of the Oireachtas app.

Scheduled witnesses include several officials from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, including Deirdre Hanlon, Assistant Secretary for Public Transport, Sustainability and Climate Change.

Topics for discussion include:

• Boosting road and public transport connectivity and options for the west of Ireland;
• Strategies for stimulating demand for new public transport services;
• Improving commuter links between smaller towns and key destinations, including universities, hospitals and major employers;
• Easing regulatory and insurance challenges for community taxi services;
• Recent cutbacks in rail freight services and opportunities to build Ireland’s heavy rail traffic and capacity; and
• Proposals to open a rail line linking Dublin Airport with Clongriffin in northeast Dublin.

“The Committee’s vision is of a better connected Ireland where citizens and businesses can rely on public transport options as the preferred means for reaching their daily destinations and distributing goods nationwide,” said Committee Chairman Joe Carey TD.

“Members welcome the chance to discuss with Department of Transport officials the status of existing projects, initiatives in development and potential areas for new thinking,” Deputy Carey said.

“The Committee hopes to identify and advance ideas for aiding communities that currently are dependent on private vehicles to get from A to B,” he said. “Members also seek to stimulate fresh thinking on the ways that heavy rail services could create new commercial opportunities for enterprises across Ireland.”