Richard O'Donoghue on Local Link in Limerick: Calls for Better Routes
Richard O'Donoghue addressed the minister about Local Link services in Limerick, arguing they are running at capacity and need more investment and better route design. He urged joined-up planning, more private-operator routes, and a review of licensing age limits to retain drivers.
Local Link capacity and route design
Richard O'Donoghue said Local Link in his area is operating at capacity and criticised the lack of joined-up thinking. He proposed figure-eight or linked routes so one operator can hand off to another and services can circle the county rather than finish at a single connection point.
Demand in Martinstown and community signatures
He highlighted local demand for new services, noting over 300 signatures seeking a Local Link for Martinstown and saying the area is pressing for inclusion. He also said there are people from Bulgarian communities looking for Local Link access in the county.
Rural bus routes and private operators
O'Donoghue listed routes serving Brough, Kilmallock and Buri as examples where existing services are insufficient for local needs. He emphasised that expansion would rely on private operators, saying residents will use transport if more services are provided and operators are supported.
Licensing and driver age limits
He raised concerns about licensing rules and age cut-offs in the public sector, saying drivers are being cut off at 70. He argued there are plenty of capable drivers available and noted, in the debate, that drivers can drive buses after the age of 17, calling for a review to keep experienced drivers in service.
Call for increased investment
Throughout his remarks O'Donoghue pressed the minister for additional investment in Local Link to deliver the linked routes and extra services residents demand. He said investment is needed to enable private operators to expand and to respond to petitions from communities like Martinstown.
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Minister, in Limerick the Local Link is working at its capacity that it has. To improve the system people are looking for more services. Local Link would only be, in our area, only for private operators. We wouldn't have it otherwise. The investment that you are putting into Local Link, I appreciate it, but there is no joint up thinking. They are doing one route, they should be doing a figure eight on all links. So when you do one route, that it links up at one spot where the other route connects to it, so that an operator can go from one to another operator and travel around different parts of the county to different areas. We have Martinstown at the moment, there are over 300 signatures looking for a Local Link in Martinstown. Martinstown, JP McMahon's country, looking for a Local Link. We have people in Bulgarian looking for the Local Link. There are over 300 signatures on it. And we haven't got investment. We need investment from you to invest more in the Local Link to make sure this can happen. Then we have our bus routes coming from the likes of Brough, Kilmallock, Buri. There isn't enough services there for the services that people are there. There is services, but not enough. And people in those areas are looking just, they will use the transport if you will provide them. And only, as I say again, for the private operators, which we need. And we also need to look at the licensing of increasing the ages on those. I actually have two minutes. Oh, you have two minutes. Okay, that's the confusion. Thanks. Thank you. On this, it's just investment. We have the drivers in the private sectors, whereas the government sectors don't seem to have it because they cut people off at 70. We have plenty of capable drivers that can drive buses after the age of 17. Thank you. Thank you.
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