I am broadly in agreement with the Bill. The expansion of the NTA is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the NTA has serious issues. If you speak to residents of my constituency in Finglas and Glasnevin, you know there are significant issues. It is one of the biggest issues I have had to deal with since I was elected. Complaints come into my office about the NTA and bus services. There is a real issue with the lack of accountability and engagement. There is a real issue about the connection between the NTA and the Minister. There is also the issue of privatisation and outsourcing within the bus services. The broad issue is that our public transport infrastructure is not up to scratch. It is not delivering the services that people need. In my constituency, in particular, the replacements for routes such as the 9, 83 and 13 have not provided an improved bus service for many people. People's experience is that it is now harder to use buses and public transport as a result of the changes. People say they have had to go back to the car because the new routes do not go through their communities and do not bring them where they need to go. There is a fundamental problem here. I, along with residents from Glasnevin and Finglas and other Deputies, have protested at the NTA. I have organised public meetings on the issue. We gave a clear message to the NTA about the need for changes to address frequency, the issue of ghost buses and to replace service routes that were taken away, particularly the number 24 bus, which ran down Beneavin Road. The NTA promised that service would be brought back but there is still no clear timeline for that. It is not acceptable. People rely on these buses. They plan their lives around them. There is a real disconnect between the Minister, the NTA and what people are experiencing on the ground in communities, whether it is children going to school, elderly people getting to hospital appointments or people getting into town. They cannot get around their communities or this city. Public transport is absolutely central to providing people with quality of life and access to the services they need. The F spine routes are still not operating to the extent that would make them adequate replacements for the old routes. As I said, people regularly get in touch with my office about cancellations, delays and ghost buses. This service is neither suitable nor up to standard. We need action on this to ensure that people have quality public transport.

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