Oireachtas report

“The Minister of State, Deputy Griffin; the Minister, Deputy Ross, and all other Ministers promised transport services for the people of rural Ireland, but they are fudging and do not know whether they will provide them,” he said. “Will the Government provide the transport services it promised to provide? People living in rural Ireland do not have the transport services at night or in the morning that people living in urban areas do. The Government will have to rectify the position. The Government had no regard to rural proofing when it introduced the legislation, voted for the Minister, Deputy Ross, and let the people of rural Ireland go to hell.”

In reply, Minister of State Griffin said road fatality figures for 2018 showed that 149 people lost their lives on the roads. “It was 149 too many, but it would be remiss of me not to mention that it was the lowest figure since records began in 1959,” he said. “We need to work harder to reduce the figure even further, but it is a step in the right direction. I have no doubt that the legislative changes, both the most recent and previous ones, have had an impact. Let us not forget that in the 1970s more than 600 people lost their lives on the roads in various years.”

Following further interruptions from Deputy Healy-Rae, Minister Griffin declared: “You are not on the side of a mountain in south Kerry now but inside the National Parliament. Will you, please, show some respect for it?”

He said there would shortly be a meeting of the ministerial and management boards. “We will be discussing rural transport initiatives such as Rural Link which has been extended,” he said. “I assure the Deputy that, as a rural dweller, this is something about which I am passionate.”