Public Transport
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-11
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

I thank the Senator again for raising the matter and being an advocate of connectivity.
In recent years in County Kerry, for which he has been a strong advocate and champion, we have seen considerable investment in the rural transport programme, with funding having increased by 71% between 2023 and 2024 to over €4.7 million. Passenger numbers on the regular rural service routes in Kerry have seen a 41% increase year on year. I take the Senator's point regarding deficits that exist. I am fully committed to delivering a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible transport system for the benefit of current and future generations.
I was very much struck by the point he made to the effect that social connection is not a luxury. It is not. I compliment former Minister Eamon Ryan who believed transport connectivity was very important to people in rural Ireland. The Senator referred this morning to Abbeydorney and other parts of Kerry. I could give him a list of where we have seen new or enhanced services across Kerry, but he is correct that there are still gaps that we must work to fill. For me, it is about bringing life back to the villages, towns and communities he spoke about this morning, particularly Abbeydorney.

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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