Mattie McGrath slams transport cuts and housing priorities
Mattie McGrath addressed a parliamentary motion on transport and accessibility, praising the motion's aim for people with disabilities while criticising rural service cuts and government priorities. He supported the motion's core but said rural communities have been left without services since COVID and accused ministers of misplaced focus.
Support for the motion
Mattie McGrath complimented Cyn Fein on the motion and said it was important for people with disabilities and those unable to access transport. He said he supported the "bones of the motion" because equal access and equal opportunities were being hindered.
Rural transport losses and local examples
As a TD from rural Ireland he outlined that many rural services have not returned since COVID, citing reduced rates and fares for urban areas while country services remain absent. He named local providers and services affected, including Cabiners of Wollingford, Lambertson, McHarrows, Donahoe Transport, and the town bus in Clannemel which he said never returned after COVID.
Accessibility and booking requirements
McGrath criticised requirements to pre-book trains and buses 24 hours in advance, calling that practice an insult to people in wheelchairs and others with disabilities. He paid tribute to volunteer and community transport groups such as the Ringalink service and local Vendebours for their past work, noting some services have since been taken over by state providers but more is needed.
Housing priorities and public debate
He attacked the cabinet's debate over opening pubs and bars at night while people struggle to get housing, arguing it showed misplaced priorities. He argued the discussion on nightlife and short-term pub openings was inappropriate when public transport and housing remain unresolved issues, and warned ordinary Irish people felt pushed to the back of the queue in access to services.
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Goanhe Maitha Gwad, You're counting y go ni. Chairman I want to compliment Cyn Fein on this motion it's a very important motion because people with disabilities and people unable to access transport you know we talk about equal access and equal opportunities they're totally totally hindered and I supported the bones of the motion from that point of view but as a TD from rural Ireland I want to just say we have no services and and you have there in the last number since COVID reduced rates and reduced rates you know fares for all the city and urban and the telegram in the country which we don't have the services you can't get a reduced rate, simple as that. But for Cabiners of Wollingford and people like that that provide services and Lambertson and McHarrows and different places that do support in Donahoe Transport in Clannemel and that's another thing the town transport bus in Clannemel went because of COVID and had never come back. It's like the snow up the night, the winter we never saw it since until next winter. So Minister there's a lot of things you made up here but certainly having to book a train or a bus a day 24 hours it's an insult to the person that's in a wheelchair or whatever else and that is that is scandalous. I want to salute the Vendébours up and down the country and I was a member of one myself in Ringalink in Kikinny, Kikinny, Canada and South Tipperary and provided excellence and were the motivators initially and there were many counties as well. Now TI have taken them over yes and those services are running well and we welcome them as well but obviously we want more. We've tried the night link and we've tried different things as well running it but they don't actually work but I see now, I see now the Taoiseach today is claiming that people they can't get a house but they can stay in a pub drinking all night now they'll be they'll have heat and light inside the pub and they've got a roof over their head. Opening pubs and bars in in the middle of this deeper session and that's all your cabinet have to discuss. I thank god you've gone out of the cabinet, I don't mean that the bad way, I think it would be a bit of advice or reason. If that's all you have to discuss now is this nonsense playing to whoever I don't know, who wants to be inside the pub at five or six in the morning and I've had some publicans morning saying oh yeah they could have the enjoyment for two nights and then one night. Do you ever hear such? When people can't get a house, when people can't get public transport, people can't get access to many, unless you're Ukrainian of course, sorry but the Irish people know, or some other non-national but the Irish know we're back to the end of the queue. So you've gone from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again to the ridiculous and I think it's a shameful situation.
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