When I want to take a bus or train from Belfast to Dublin, Dundalk or Drogheda, the routes have improved. By rail or bus, they are absolutely excellent and even on the hour. However, if I want to go from east to west, from Clogherhead to Dunleer or Ardee and on to Trim or Kells, there are no buses and no public services to enable people to get to work or to get to medical appointments. I have written again and again to the NTA with no reply. If there is any reply, it is saying they have no plans to develop any services east to west within County Louth, or even connecting County Louth to County Meath. I find this extraordinary when we are trying to encourage people to use more public transport. There is the cost to car owners and to people who have to take time off work to bring loved ones to medical appointments. Surely this is something that can be considered.

Sentiment score: 0.20

Yes. County Louth, where there are 140,000 people-----

Sentiment score: 0.20

It is based on rail, Deputy Mac Lochlainn. With a population of 140,000, County Louth is growing and houses are spawning at an accelerated rate. Our businesses are growing and we are attracting businesses into the county, month after month. However, our two train stations are jammed. There is no parking and there is no facility. I listened earlier when the Minister of State talked about how we have to be ambitious, and we are ambitious, but it is now time to have a serious conversation about a third railway station. We have the land zoned in Drogheda and it would make sense to have another train station in Drogheda, or north of it. However, if we are truly ambitious, surely we should consider a brownfield site half way between Dundalk and Drogheda and really plan for the future.

Sentiment score: 0.18