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Are we there yet? The problems and possibilities of Ireland's public transport

The next cycle of The Good Information Project from The Journal will look at public transport in Ireland.

THE CLATTER OF the train. The ding of the Luas. The bump of the car over a pothole.

Hundreds of thousands of people move around Ireland every day, whether it’s a short spin to the local shop, the commute to work, or a trip across the country.

When we’re leaving our homes (which, for most of us, has been less often than usual over the last year), we’re faced with a question: how do we get from point A to point B?

It seems straightforward, but there’s a range of complexities wrapped up within it.

If I wait for the bus, will it be on time? Will it drop me close to where I’m going? If I’m disabled or pregnant or elderly, will there be a seat for me? Will I be safe if I’m travelling in the dark?

Is there a train that can bring me where I want to be? Do I need to walk or cycle or drive to get to the station in the first place? What about when I get off the train? How much will it cost?

Are there cycle lanes? Are there footpaths? Are there good quality roads?

Earlier this year, The Journal launched The Good Information Project, where we take a deep dive along with our readers into key issues impacting Ireland.

So far, we’ve covered the prospect of a shared island, the future of work, Ireland and China’s relationship, and housing. For the next month, we’ll be looking into public transport: how it works, how it could work in the future, and what are the problems we need to solve.

For 93% of people in Ireland, their nearest public transport option is a bus stop, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Meanwhile, only 1.2% have a city bike sharing station (in Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Galway) as their closest choice.

In between the two are train stations at 5.3%, while just 0.6% of people are closer to a Luas station than to any other mode of transport.

shutterstock_1617672064 A Dart train running between Bray and Greystones Shutterstock / Dawid K Photography Shutterstock / Dawid K Photography / Dawid K Photography

Like many things, 2021 is a strange time for public transport in Ireland.

The number of people allowed (and needing) to use it has been slashed during the pandemic, and with remote working likely to stick around in some shape or form for a long time, the way we use public transport may look different too.

We’ve also seen recent moves towards encouraging active travel (like walking and cycling). In some parts of the country, bike lanes have been given space previously taken up by cars and some streets have been pedestrianised – although many would say that far more still needs to be done to enable people to leave their cars behind to help combat the climate crisis.

Projects like BusConnects, the proposed MetroLink between Swords and Charlemont via Dublin Airport and the city centre, and the Dart+ Programme have been promised as ways of enhancing Dublin’s transport links, and we’ll dive into the latest developments on those.

But we’ll also look at transport outside of the cities and the effect on rural areas when transport options aren’t up to scratch, which is a common situation in many parts of the country. 

Donegal’s lack of a train option – despite it once having a thriving rail service – is one such case study. 69,000 people in Ireland live 20km or more from the national road network – and nearly a third of those people live in Donegal, according to CSO data.

We’ll be talking to experts to ask them for their big ideas about public transport and what we need to do to make it the best it can be. We’ll look at what is and isn’t working, the impact of bad public transport on people’s lives, and what we can learn from other countries.

Importantly, we want to hear from you. What would you change if you were in charge of public transport for your county? Do you have an interesting or especially difficult commute? Should public transport be free? We’ll publish polls and open threads as well as inviting you to tune into live discussions.

We want to hear from you

The Journal launched The Good Information Project with the goal of enlisting readers to take a deep dive with us into key issues impacting Ireland right now.

You can keep up to date by signing up to The Good Information Project newsletter in the box below. If you want to join the discussion, ask questions or share your ideas on this or other topics, you can find our Facebook group here or contact us directly via WhatsApp.

This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work is the author’s own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.

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    Mute Alan mulvey
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:09 AM

    Have they not being talking about this since the boom?

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 3:57 PM

    It smells like political posturing to me. The info in the paper during was in direct contradiction of what the minister said before Christmas – ruling out tax credits because as he said in a parliamentary question a system of tax allowances would not benefit parents working in the home and could be seen as discriminatory. In addition, tax reliefs would favour the high paid while those on the minimum wage or in part-time work would not benefit to the same extent. Secondly he ruled out the second ECCE year now it back on the table. He’s doing a political cha cha because of the growing momentum for the Association of Childhood Professionals petition and 17th February rally which is even more reason to keep the pressure going. These hollow promises are just to attempt to quieten voices but I for one was raging when I read the article. This committee too is just a stalling tactic too, it will take several months for the committee to be formed, compile the data, launch it, then it will gather dust for a bit and hay presto it’s election time and they’re gone. Surly there is enough reports done of the years that can be dusted off and acted on. I for one will be at the Dail on 17th Feb with the ACP using my voice and looking for positive change. #oneunitedvoice (rant over)

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 3:59 PM

    Here’s the link for the petition for the government to invest in our children early years education, please support, sign and share https://www.change.org/p/enda-kenny-respect-value-and-resource-all-areas-of-early-childhood-education-and-care

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    Mute Michael cunnane
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:10 AM

    Childcare costs….like paying two mortgages.

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    Mute Eugene Doyle
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:36 AM

    The problem is…..it is election spin!!!

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    Mute Stuart Keogh
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:02 AM

    Course it is, it’s the same government that threatened to cut child benefit if we didn’t sign up to IW, “but childcare services are important to them” pffffft

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    Mute Nobby Donnelly
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:17 AM

    Still early – i thought the headline was about making irish children more adorable..

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    Mute Jennie
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:08 AM

    That made me smile this morning. Thank you

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    Mute selita
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:36 AM

    The first thing they need to do is look at the childcare subvention scheme and community childcare.

    Why oh why are the government subsidising childcare for those who choose not to work.
    Yes I know there will be do-gooders who will say the child needs it, that maybe these parents are looking for work etc. there is millions wasted, I work in the community sector and as a working parent there is nothing that drives me mad than meeting parents (who choose NOT to work) leaving their kids off at crèche a few mornings a week, so that they get ‘a break’ and pay between €20-€30(and complain having to pay this) for the privilege as the government subsidises this. Yet I have to pay full crèche fees of a grand and pay tax. While there are numerous families struggling to pay bills and childcare, there are huge numbers of subsidised crèche places being taking up by parents who do not work or train and do not want to!!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:57 AM

    Selita, maybe the fact that some people ‘choose’ to stay at home and take responsibility for the majority of their childs care should be praised and not criticised. Of course people who do this have less money and that is why they need subsidised fees, or are they simply not entitled to a ‘break’ because they don’t put their child in crèche for 8+ hours a day and subscribe to a societal norm that is about as anti-family as it gets!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:00 AM

    Caring for a child/family is very much work as you should know. So sick of people undervaluing the role of the parent in the home.

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    Mute Henry Fleming
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:15 AM

    Rakel, looks like you completely missed the point made!!

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    Mute Rakel
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    Jan 14th 2015, 12:12 PM

    No I see her point Henry, and have no problem with the cost of childcare coming down for working families, but I didn’t like her comments in relation to parents who don’t work!

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    Mute mammy
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    Jan 14th 2015, 1:54 PM

    But how are they going to go and buy their breakfast rolls and Johnny blues without having to share with the chizzlers?

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    Mute selita
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    Jan 14th 2015, 4:35 PM

    I am not undervaluing the stay at home parent, it is something I would aspire to be!!! Rakel I am talking about parents (both) who CHOOSE NOT to work and have no intention of working, having numerous kids….claim social welfare benefits, social housing etc. Parents not wanting to work and putting there child into a crèche 20-25 hours per week is hardly looking after their children? if I didn’t have to work I wouldn’t have my kids in crèche, why would I? as a working mother when do I get a break, im up at 6am, kids feed and clothed, dropped off, in work run of my feet, work through lunch so I can get out early, pick up kids, spend time with them, make dinner, bed time routine, clean up and finally sit down at 10pm and off to bed at 10.30, woken at least once a night by my baby.
    I HAVE to work in order to keep a roof over my kids head, if I gave up work we would lose our home, I cant sell as we are in negative equity, I would love a large family, but that is not possible.

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    Mute martintim
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:47 AM

    Anyone who believes them needs their head examined, they’ll make the price higher with some kind of creche tax if anything

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    Mute Alison Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 7:58 AM

    And it will only apply to crèches even if you have a childminder through the tax system. Seems fair, not!!!

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    Mute Philip
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    Jan 14th 2015, 11:59 AM

    Those that choose to look after their own children rather than get some stranger to look after them.

    What help are they getting?

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    Mute Snorre N Skalagrimmerson
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:58 AM

    Pure spin by the anti family anti people FG/LAB JUNTA

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:30 AM

    Pune spin.

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    Mute deerhounddog
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Pure spin

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    Mute Richie Rice
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    Jan 14th 2015, 8:25 AM

    What else would it be, soak it up Pixies.

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    Mute Live Long
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:14 AM

    Child care should be more affordable but not on the backs of the tax payer, we pay enough as it is to support other peoples children.

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    Mute Sian O Sullivan
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    Jan 14th 2015, 10:47 AM

    So are you suggesting everyone should fill out a little form every month indicating what their tax should be spent on ???

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    Mute Mick Kenny
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    Jan 14th 2015, 4:02 PM

    these are the future tax payers who will be paying into you pension and elderly care, try to see the big picture.

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