Barry Ward
Dún Laoghaire · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I acknowledge all of the factors the Minister of State set out. I welcome them all and it is really important that we spread that message. The second part of the Minister of State's response is really important and that is the EU jobs part. I would not necessarily limit it just to the European Union.”
“Let us not abdicate responsibility for politically unpopular decisions, which are still the right decisions, made at European level with the involvement of Irish people.”
“There is little doubt about the positivity we associate with membership of the European Union. Some 82% of Irish people favour membership of the European Union, the highest rate of approval of any European state.”
“It is really important, not from the point of view of influence but from the point of view of presence, that there are Irish people around the table when decisions are being made so that the Irish perspective is understood and heard.”
“To look at it from a purely economic standpoint, the value of being part of the Single Market is enormous. In 1973, we imported €340 million more in goods than we exported. In recent times, we have had an export surplus. We have exported more than €53 billion more than we have imported.”
“As we hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU and are at the heart of Europe, leading the agenda and setting the tone in respect of our priorities during the Presidency, what is the Government doing to communicate to Irish people just how lucky we are to be part of the European Union?”
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“For example, Poland identified the European arrest warrant framework as a very effective way of getting citizens, particularly from Ireland, to go back to Poland. There has been criticism in the Supreme Court of the minor nature of some offences on which the return of a Polish citizen from Ireland was sought by Poland. Again, that is something that had to be dealt with by the Supreme Court. If, for example, the CJICO feels that a request is frivolous - in using that word I do so without any criticism - or more minor than may have been envisaged initially in this Bill or in the package generally, is that something that CJICO will be empowered to deal with itself? Will it have recourse to the courts?”
“I come back to the efficiency issue in relation to the operation of the CJICO. I ask the Minister to address the question of resources that will be made available to it. If, for example, hundreds of addressees who are based in this jurisdiction are nominated by companies in the digital space in Europe and we find hundreds of thousands of requests being made from across the European Union to this jurisdiction, will the resources to be available to the CJICO to deal with those requests? Has provision been made or consideration given to how that will happen? Again, I refer to the European arrest warrant framework in this regard. Countries have applied it differently without any criticism.”
“In many respects, I have concerns about the way certain matters are addressed by courts under civil law jurisdiction and the rights that we take for granted in this jurisdiction may not be as openly available to citizens in other European countries. That is not to call into question the effectiveness or the fairness of their legal systems; it is just different. However, because of that difference, we have to create that balancing act between the two to ensure that there is not an injustice perpetrated because of a request made from one country to an addressee in this country in relation to something that may be at variance with our laws. I would be grateful to the Minister for confirmation that there is not an issue under Article 12 and that that satisfies any concerns that might exist in that regard.”
“It has also benefited us in the sense that international businesses and individuals coming to this State can rely on a rule of law that is consistently applied and the direction of which can be visibly seen. They can have confidence that our system applies the law in a way that they can predict and therefore they can abide by. There are other technical common law jurisdictions in the European Union - Cyprus and Malta, for example. They are more hybrid than we are. We are essentially the last pure common law jurisdiction left in the European Union after Brexit. We have to be mindful that different legal systems create different ways in which crime is prosecuted.”
“The High Court here must be satisfied that the offence complained of by the jurisdiction seeking to have a person surrendered is a matter known to Irish law. I would say the same must be true in terms of the operation of the CJICO and it satisfying itself. Article 12 gives that but, again, I would be grateful to hear confirmation from the Minister that he is also satisfied Article 12 does this. The reality is that we are not just a geographic island but also, in many ways, a legal island within the European Union. The common law jurisdiction that operates here has benefited us hugely from the point of view of continuity over time in the interpretation of the law by our judges.”
“In this context, for example, with the European arrest warrant framework that came into law over 20 years ago, at that time, if I remember correctly, during the debates there were also concerns regarding offences in other countries that were not offences here. The concern was that people would be extradited or surrendered all the time to other European countries for matters we do not recognise as against the law here. Again, notwithstanding the concerns expressed by Members at that time, that framework specifically addressed that, and in a similar way to what Article 12 does in the e-evidence package with a view to saying, "Actually, no, you cannot do that." We have seen in the European arrest warrant framework, for example, that it is something the High Court must establish here before the extradition or surrender ever takes place.”
“When we look at European law enforcement, we should be moving, to the greatest extent possible, to a single jurisdiction on this Continent so that we can accelerate the enforcement of law and the prosecution of those responsible for breaking the law. That said, we also need to build safeguards into all legislation. I listened to what was said about concerns relating to potential discrepancies between law in one member state and this member state and the idea that Irish addressees or companies based in this jurisdiction would therefore be aiding another jurisdiction to prosecute an offence that is not known to law in this jurisdiction. Safeguards are important. I know reference was made to Article 12(1)(d). I must say I am satisfied this gives the assurance required.”
“However, let me say this on co-operation with our European colleagues: I cannot think of a single example where it was not absolutely in Ireland's interest to be part of exercises and co-operation agreements exactly like this. As a small country in Europe, albeit one in which digital and technological regulation has come to the fore for us because so many companies have been headquartered here, it nonetheless serves us at every head's turn to be part of co-operation agreements with our European colleagues so that we can share information with them and will also be the beneficiaries of access to information across the European Union. Looking specifically at law enforcement, I have listened to colleagues who have said crime does not respect borders, and they are absolutely correct in that regard.”
“I note what the Minister said about the likelihood that many of the companies that will be affected by the EU e-evidence package will give their addressee in this State. This will possibly result in hundreds of thousands of requests, under the package, being brought to companies in this State and therefore being subject to regulation within this State. That is a significant administrative burden, so I would certainly welcome an assurance from the Minister that resources will be given to the office to ensure it can carry out its function. That is what I mean when I say it must be effective. If we are to give legal meaning to this legislation, it must be something where the CJICO to be established here will be able to do the work it has to do.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire freisin as ucht an luais a bhí leis. Nuair atáimid ag labhairt faoin dlí ag an leibhéal Eorpach, is gá dúinn na rialacha mar sin a chur sa dlí sa tír seo. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis maidir leis sin. Ag an am céanna, bhí mé ag éisteacht leis an díospóireacht anseo freisin. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil daoine sa Teach seo a bhfuil imní orthu faoi rudaí atá sa Bhille agus ceisteanna atá fós le freagairt ag an Aire. Labhróidh mé fúthu siúd ar feadh tamaillín. While it is obviously very important to implement this legislation and to give legal effect to the European regulations and directives in law in this country, it is important that we do so in a way that is effective, above challenge and is going to work.”
“That is the way we will actually achieve something here. We cannot do it alone. No matter what Bills we pass here, we cannot stop the slaughter in Gaza but Europe can. The disappointing thing is that we have not yet brokered that real confidence at European level to stop this from happening, and that is what we really need to do.”
“For a long time after that, however, Ireland was the only voice in the western world and in the European Union speaking against that. We were certainly the first country to come out and actually voice what was happening to the Palestinian people. There is a bravery in that that I fear has never been properly recognised in this Chamber, certainly by anybody in the Opposition. It is worth recognition because although there has been relentless criticism of the Government's action since then, the reality is that the Government, the Ministers for foreign affairs, Deputies McEntee and Harris, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have built a coalition of European countries that are now supporting action against Israel and supporting criticism of Israel whether that is Spain, Malta, Slovenia, Belgium or the Netherlands.”
“We are not saying that no people under 18 buy alcohol. We are not saying that people do not break the law. The fact that a law can be broken or is difficult to enforce is not a good reason not to put it in place. I understand that argument against it. I also understand that there may be consequences from other jurisdictions in terms of passing this, but we do not make laws in this Chamber on the basis of what other countries think about those laws. I also recognise the reality of the situation, however. I would not underestimate the effect that Ireland has had on this conflict. When Hamas committed that attack in October 2023, it precipitated a reaction from Israel that was entirely predictable, if appalling.”
“It is important for us, absolutely and unequivocally, to condemn what Israel has done and is doing and to equally condemn the precipitation of the most recent attacks since October 2023 by Hamas and the way it has essentially sacrificed its own population of ordinary innocent civilians on the altar of its political and war ambition. It is disgraceful for them but the resulting overreaction from Israel is unconscionable, illegal and genocidal. This Bill, therefore, makes sense in that regard but we also have to have regard to what it can and cannot achieve. I regret that the Bill does not include services. I think it should. I recognise that it is largely unenforceable. I recognise that fact, but there are lots of laws in this country that are not enforceable. We are not saying, for example, that nobody speeds.”
“However, we should not be dishonest either or unrealistic about what it is actually going to achieve. The reality is that banning trade with the occupied territories, whether that includes goods and services, is going to have very little impact in real terms on the conflict that shocks and disgusts us all. For that reason, I did not support Deputy Boyd Barrett's Bill recently, which sought to introduce sanctions on Isreal. However much I morally supported it and thought it would be wonderful to put in place, it is not reasonable to suggest to people that can be done because legally it cannot. We, as Members of this Chamber, are bound by the restrictions of international law and, indeed, European Law and the abilities we have to restrict trade, for example.”
“I support the Bill. This is not an issue to which I am a stranger. I have spent quite a lot of time in the occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza. I have witnessed the way the Israeli Defence Forces have behaved. I have thankfully never been a direct victim but I have had stones thrown at me by Israeli settlers in Hebron, so I have seen first hand what is there. I have seen sonic bombs being flown over Gaza city. I understand what is happening there. I have consistently over 25 years been appalled by the manner in which Israel has behaved towards Palestinian people and the disgraceful attitude and actions it has perpetrated over that time and long before that. There is no doubt but that this legislation is entirely morally justified and important from the point of view of the principle that is at stake.”
“This Bill, which is concerned primarily with governance and transparency, is good legislation and I welcome it, but there is so much more we can do in terms of improving our national media landscape to ensure that it serves the people in this country but also serves them with a diet of information and media material that they will not get outside this country. Let us do better for them in that regard.”
“Algorithms can sometimes kill your ability to see beyond what a particular platform thinks you should be reading. "World Report" cuts through that, and I really do not know why we could not do a "World Report" every day. On RTÉ Radio, before "Morning Ireland" starts at 7 a.m., for example, there is room there even to do one or two stories. It is an excellent programme because it also lifts us out of the parochial nature that is sometimes associated with news in this jurisdiction. I would love to see that happening.”
“Unfortunately, it occupies only a 20-minute slot on a Sunday morning on RTÉ Radio One, and it is "World Report". "World Report" is a programme that goes around the world and uses reporters on the ground in places we do not hear very much from very often and it gives them an opportunity to set out a story that is happening in Kenya, India or Bolivia or somewhere like that that does not make the mainstream news - and, by the way, that includes print media. Particularly in an English language jurisdiction, where there is so much international media coming into our country through English, it is sometimes very difficult for consumers here to hear through that noise and see things that do not make their way into the headlines in our newspapers or notifications on our various media apps or whatever we look at online.”
“I do not know to what extent that can be addressed within this legislation, but in the same way that the Official Languages Act prescribed the 20% allocation for fógraíocht trí Ghaeilge, is there room, perhaps, for a portion or a requirement for a portion of advertising on any station to be made, for example, in this jurisdiction? That may interfere with competition rules within the European Union, but maybe if we just said that it had to be done within the European Union, that would specifically relate to the other major English language jurisdiction in this part of the world. I started by saying that I thought RTÉ did a good job. I stand by that. I think that our news can sometimes be a small bit parochial, and I want to give a shout-out to a programme that I think is genuinely excellent.”
“I just think there is a real shame within the media landscape that we cannot strike out better for Irish media companies to ensure that the content we see, hear and have to listen to is indigenous content generated here for us, by us. I do not mean that to sound in any way isolationist because the reality is that we live in a global environment, and I do not have a problem with that. However, I do have a problem with the notion that we are an extension of another media market. I think there is something being missed by media outlets here but also by the companies that are advertising, and I do not know if they are even aware of how much it can sometimes turn off an Irish consumer that the product being advertised is actually being geared towards and aimed at a different type of consumer entirely.”
“However, I do not get the sense that, at any point when an ad comes in, there is somebody in RTÉ or, indeed, any other media outlet in the country who says they think the advertiser should amend or change that ad or remake it in Ireland using Irish staff, Irish teams and Irish companies because it will land better with the people here. The problem for us is that because we also consume so much international media, particularly British media, we sometimes do not notice. If you are watching British television and then you switch to an Irish channel, you might not notice that the ad is exactly the same as the one you saw on the British channel.”
“That is a real shame, and there is an obvious responsibility on the company itself to indicate that it has enough respect to produce an ad that is dedicated to this jurisdiction. I also think there is a role for the media companies, the radio stations and the television stations to say to those companies that come to advertise with them that those ads are not made for this jurisdiction. I have raised this with media companies, and the response is understandably that they do not turn away business. The payment for those ads funds the activities of that radio station or television station. I get that.”
“That is one thing, but worse than that, it means that the Irish voice-over artists based in Dublin, the people who do the copy, the people who put together the filming of these things in Dublin, and the jobs that are based here in Dublin providing media solutions for Irish companies, Irish people and Irish media consumers are being overlooked. If a big multinational - I will not name any companies but there are lots of them - makes its ad in London and then runs it in Irish media, it is saying not only that it thinks we are an extension of the British market but also that it does not care to give work to Irish media companies based here in Dublin and elsewhere around the country.”
“One of my real bugbears is the notion that you turn on RTÉ radio, RTÉ television or any Irish indigenous radio or television station and there is an ad being run on that station that is 100% exclusively produced for the English market - English accents, English parlance, English slang, English personalities, produced in London by people who have no concept of what the Irish market needs. When that ad is run on Irish media, it frustrates me because it is a signal that the company running the ad really sees us as being part of the English or British market.”
“If you are presenting on most mainstream media programmes, there is an ad break where you get to put yourself together for the next segment. If you are presenting a programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, you do not have that chance; it just goes from one segment into the next. The professionalism then is also worth noting. The point I make about the importance of driving Irish language material, in terms of the presence of ár dteanga dúchais, is really important, but the point about how it drives production and capacity within the Irish language production centre is also important. That extends beyond the language to Irish producers in general.”
“Here is where it also makes a difference: now there is a funding stream for those involved in Irish language media production. People, particularly cainteoirí dúchais - Irish speakers - who can do that advertising and companies that are capable of doing production through Irish now have a guaranteed stream that comes into them. That is really important because it funds those companies in the longer term. It makes their existence viable where perhaps previously it would not have been, notwithstanding the presence of TG4 and its predecessor, Teilifís na Gaeilge, and indeed Raidió na Gaeltachta, which does not have the same extent of advertising in real terms. It is something that I think is a burden on presenters on Raidió na Gaeltachta.”
“That is something we did not really see before. You might have previously seen an advert that is targeted at the Irish-speaking community or that relates to an Irish-speaking product, but now it is wholesale. Irrespective of what Government programme it is or what a particular Government agency is doing, we will now hear that advertising to the tune of at least 20% as Gaeilge. That is hugely important because it normalises the existence of Irish within the media generally but, obviously, within our public service media as well. The make-up of the audience councils is really important in terms of including at least ten Irish-speaking members and at least five with Gaeltacht experience. That is progress, and we should actually be moving to increasing that 20% because I think it makes a big difference as to what we hear in media.”
“Reviews every three years and annual reviews of the organisation's funding and performance are also important to inform and reinstate that performance. Obviously, this goes hand in hand with the disclosure of employee pay. As I said, this is less about individuals and more about the organisation. One thing that is very welcome is the scope for greater focus on the Irish language. One of the things we have seen emerging in recent years, not in the context of this legislation but with regard to the Official Languages Act, is advertising and the fact State agencies have to spend 20% of their advertising on fógraíocht trí mheán na Gaeilge. That is extremely important. Whether we realise it or not, we do notice it. We now have a situation where, if you are listening to or watching media, you will see advertising completely through Irish.”
“I also recognise the changes in transparency in respect of the commissioners within Coimisiún na Meán and the fact that RTÉ's accounts will be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The difficulty with RTÉ has been less about the manner in which money has been spent - and the criticism in that regard is valid - but, rather, the changes in the appearance that perhaps what has been said cannot be relied upon. That is a problem from the point of view of public confidence. Transparency is a hugely important part of that public confidence in public broadcasting and public service media. The notion, for example, that the director general would be available to give evidence before committees is hugely important. There should not be any resistance to that; they should be available to answer questions when called upon to do so.”
“She has done a lot of work analysing what this Bill does and where it succeeds. The change in governance is one of the most important things proposed. In light of what happened recently in RTÉ, we have, to an extent, got carried away with examining individual pay rather than looking at the governance issues. I specifically welcome the provisions in this Bill that will change the governance of RTÉ, public service broadcasting and the safeguards for editorial independence, which will come through the official governing body. Describing the director general as the editor-in-chief and ensuring that his or her term of office shall only last five to seven years are good things. In that context, maybe we need to separate RTÉ out as being different from other media organisations because it is in receipt of so much public funding.”
“I would like to see much more reporting and less commentary in the context of public service broadcasting. Too often, opinions are reported and colour what is broadcast. RTÉ does a good job in providing good news and current affairs coverage and a good overall spread of the broadcast content. That said, I welcome this important Bill which amends the Broadcasting Act and implements many of the new EU media rules under the European Media Freedom Act. While it is important to recognise the elements of the independent review of the governance and culture of RTÉ and the Report of the Future of Media Commission published in 2022, it is also important that this legislation has been brought forward. I acknowledge Shona Donnelly, who is in the Public Gallery and who is interning with me at present.”
“I will start by saying something relatively controversial. I do not think RTÉ does a bad job; I think it does quite a good job. As a public service broadcaster, the difficulty it faces is that it is so often compared with international counterparts like the BBC, which is not perfect and which receives funding vastly beyond what RTÉ could ever expect to get in a small jurisdiction like ours. On the whole, I think it does a good job. RTÉ does a good job in the public service broadcasting space. I agree with Deputy O'Donoghue regarding how public service broadcasting should never be the voice of the Government. I do not think it is. It is more critical of the Government than perhaps the Government would be happy with, but it should not be the voice of any particular sector.”
“That is important, not just because it is good for the people involved to get those jobs and get into an institution that can be a lifelong place of growth and opportunity but also, and more importantly, it means, from a national perspective, that when decisions are made all over Europe, if there is an Irish person sitting at the table, our perspective is ventilated. Of course, the institutions do not represent any state, and I am not saying they should, but it cannot be a bad thing for Ireland to have a person in the room when decisions are being made. The best way to do that is to reinforce the need for Irish people to apply for jobs in Europe.”
“Those vacancies can relate to the Commission, the Council, the Parliament or other institutions right across the Union. We need to do better at convincing Irish people to apply for these jobs. We are lagging behind other countries in terms of applications. Italy is one of the front-runners. It has an institution dedicated to preparing people to apply for those jobs, not just telling them about what a job involves and the remuneration package but also about how to apply for a job and how to prepare an application. When people get interviews, that institution gives them the skill set and information they need to be successful.”
“We have done very well in the European civil service, if I can call it that, over the years, whereby Irish people have attained very high positions, in particular the likes of Catherine Day, who was head of the European civil service before she retired. In a meeting with the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg, we found there were six high level in Ireland there due to retire the coming years. There are not the people at the middle level ready to take over for them at the higher level. In terms of readiness and preparedness from a national point of view, one of the opportunities we have is to push much harder that door into European institutions. The European Movement Ireland has a green book to advertise and inform people of the vacancies arising.”
“I agree with much, if not everything, that has been said in the course of the debate by those on all sides. Balancing our skills need and development is important. I want to come at this from a slightly different angle, however. I am chair of the European affairs committee, and a delegation from the committee recently visited Luxembourg and met some of the people involved in the European institutions there. We know they exist throughout the European Union, including with Eurofound, which celebrates its 50th year in Loughlinstown in my constituency this year. There are a range of positions and good jobs in those institutions that are available to Irish people.”
“What has actually changed between now and then to enhance the service we are providing to our citizens, notwithstanding the fact that I have clearly identified a lacuna and a failing of that service to certain citizens who happen not to share their surname with their children?”
“What I am talking about is not about interfering with the identity page of a passport, but on the page opposite that, providing additional details that will help parents to cross international borders with their children who happen to have different names. Here is the most extraordinary thing. Almost exactly the same sentence was stated in the Seanad three years ago as when the Minister of State stated here, "The passport service does not have any plans to expand the purpose of a passport to indicate a guardianship relationship between a child and their guardians but continues to consider ways in which to enhance this essential citizen service." That is exactly the same line that was given three years ago, so here is my final question. What has actually been considered to enhance this service?”
“It is not beyond our systems to have a situation whereby a passport can be amended or whereby, in a change of guardianship, a notification to the Passport Office be required to change or cancel a passport. The Minister of State has also told us that the child may become an adult during the currency of the passport. Of course that is also true, but exactly the same provisions apply. It is totally clear in the question I asked that I am not suggesting that a child would be included on a parent's or guardian's passport. That is clearly outside the parameters of what happens now. It may have happened in the past but it does not happen any more, and that is not the question I am asking.”
“I thank the Minister of State very much. I know he is providing the House with a response that has been prepared on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has described it as an "update". It is far from an update. I read through the transcript of what was said in the Seanad on 7 March 2023. There are so many similarities as there to be no update whatever so ever. It is exactly the same issue about what is required. The Minister of State said in his response is that it is not required by the Act. So what? It is required by common sense and we can change the Act to reflect common sense. The Minister of State then told us guardianship can change during the currency of a passport. Of course it can.”
“I ask the Minister of State for a practical accommodation for parents who are currently having difficulty crossing international borders with their children simply because they have a different surname from their children. There is a practical and easy solution to this. I ask that we implement it.”
“If that is the case, those guidelines need to change because they compromise the ability of the passport to do its job. Of course, first of foremost, the job of the passport is to establish identity and nationally. We could argue that the information in relation to parentage is part of the identity of that child because it helps them to cross an international border. The guidelines of the ICAO are fine and important. The security aspects of them are particularly important. However, we are also a sovereign country and get to decide what goes in our passports. More importantly, we have to remember that the passport is a service that is extended to our citizens. We are not bound by other rules. We passed the Passports Act. We could easily pass a passports (amendment) Act to change this.”
“I was told, for example, that there is a GDPR issue. There is not. Parents can consent to that data being shared. They can also consent on behalf of their children. It is not something that I am saying has to be done. It is something that should be created as an option for parents because it makes lives easier. I was told that it is not the norm, and it is not the norm. Diplomatic passports are issued to members of the diplomatic service. On the passport page opposite the photo page will be the description of why holders have that diplomatic passport. It will state ambassador, ambassador's spouse or whatever it is. There is a precedent for doing this in a certain way. I have been told that it is not in accordance with the guidelines issued by the ICAO.”
“We live in an age now where I do not know what proportion of women who get married do not take their husband's name but it has to be substantial. We no longer live in a world where we expect women to take their husband's names. Yet we live in a world where we expect them to carry extra documentation so they can travel internationally with their children. The solution I am suggesting is that opposite the passport picture page where there is a blank page at the moment, there would simply be either on the parent's passport a list of their children's names or a list of their parents' names on the child's passport. It is something that could allow us to circumvent this unnecessary difficulty crossing international borders. I raised this in the Seanad on 7 March 2023. The answers I recieved did not engage with the issue.”
“In no way do I want to interfere with the security or the value of that document. However, there is a situation that primarily affects women. Parents do not necessarily have the same name as their children. When they are travelling internationally with their children, they face difficulties crossing borders because the surname on their passport is different from surname of their children. Therefore, they have to demonstrate in a different way that child is their child, and they are entitled to cross that international frontier with that child. Most parents present a birth certificate of the child that has their name on it and carry it with them. That will solve the problem most of the time. They should not have to do that.”
“This is an issue that I have raised previously relating to a gap in the provision of the passport services. We are very lucky with the Passport Office. It does amazing work. I know from the work that my office does that the response that we get from the Passport Office is consistently excellent, co-operative and helpful. The Passport Office does not decide what goes into the passports insofar as a statutory regime provided for under the Passports Act 2008 dictates what should be in a passport. That is also in line with guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. An Irish passport is a very valuable document. We occupy a space in the top ten of the international Henley passport index. It is one of the most coveted passports in the world.”
“The more people we can persuade to get on the DART, Luas or the bus, the more who are not getting into cars, often on their own, clogging up the roads, creating environmental hazards, making it more difficult for cyclists and pedestrians and generally creating more problems. Let us put in place a system that we can not just be proud of but that we want to use, we can use and we can rely on to get us to work, school or college on time.”
“For that microtransport element, the idea is you cannot get on the Luas with your bike at Cherrywood, get the Luas to Ranelagh and then cycle to somewhere that might be adjacent to the Luas but is too far away to walk. We need to do more to allow people to carry bikes on public transport. The Luas has done really good work but it could do so much more. Public transport has to be the backbone of the function of any city. If we are not delivering a public transport system that people can have confidence in, that they can rely on and that is cost effective, we are then failing those commuters.”
“It is not without its huge inconvenience for people in the local community and I think there is a problem with the way it is being built in the same area, at the same time. A road gets done and then a road around the corner gets done, which creates consecutive inconveniencies for the same community but that is for another debate. When the Luas was built, we had this rail corridor that was created. There was an opportunity to put in a really effective cycle corridor that would run in parallel to the Luas. That was not done. As a result, a cyclist cannot cycle along the same corridor as the Luas. What is perhaps more frustrating is that you cannot bring your bicycle onto the Luas. You are prevented from doing that. It is a real missed opportunity.”