Public Transport Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-11 ============================================================ Mike Kennelly (FG), Labour Panel I thank the Minister of State for attending the Seanad this morning. Today I am calling for greater investment in rural transport, in particular our Local Link and demand-responsive transport services. These services are a lifeline for people across rural Ireland - for the older person needing to reach their GP visits, the student getting to college and the worker who depends on a reliable bus to get to their job. They connect people to opportunity, community and essential services. Local Link is one of the greatest success stories of rural Ireland. It is a service built around local needs, communities' priorities and real-world challenges. Time and again, Local Link has shown that with the right support, rural transport can be flexible, responsive, reliable and transformative. The dedication of Local Link drivers, their co-ordinators and community partners is extraordinary and has to be acknowledged. Their work deserves recognition and expanded investment. However, the reality in too many areas is that there still is not enough coverage. Some communities see one bus a day. Some see none at all. Families are forced to run a second car, not out of choice but necessity. That is not fair or sustainable for a lot of families. I want to highlight one example in the village of Abbeydorney in north Kerry. It is a remote village north of Listowel and south of Tralee. Abbeydorney previously applied for a demand-responsive transport service and was refused funding. They are now applying again. This time, their needs must be heard. The intention is simple - to provide older residents with a weekly commute to their active retirement group at the community centre in Abbeydorney. At present, Local Link offers a run every second week. That is twice a month that some people in rural north Kerry can meet in their active retirement group in Abbeydorney. It is just twice a month. That is not fair to these people. While appreciated, it is not enough. These residents deserve the chance to meet weekly to socialise, participate and stay active in their community. Social connection is not a luxury; it is a necessity for well-being, dignity and independence. Abbeydorney is far from alone. Across Kerry and throughout rural Ireland, there are communities that need expanded routes, greater frequency and more robust demand-responsive transport options. Rural isolation is a persistent challenge. I know that. I live in rural Ireland. Improved transport is one of the most effective tools we have to address it. Investment in Local Link and in demand-responsive transport is investment in our people. It cuts isolation, reduces emissions and gives rural communities the same opportunities as our towns and cities. I see the Luas green line is suspended this morning. Imagine if the Local Link was suspended; would it get the same furore in my part of the country? I am calling for increased core funding, expanded routes and frequency, a modernised booking system and stronger integration of the Local Link with the wider public transport network. Every €1 spent on rural transport delivers multiple returns in equality, climate action and community well-being. Let us back Local Link, support communities like Abbeydorney, expand demand-responsive transport and ensure that no one is left behind simply because of where they live. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-11/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:27+00:00 Sitting date: 2025-12-11