Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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11. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding provided to maintain the Parnell Place bus station in Cork; and for an update on plans to renovate same. [28578/24]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for facilitating me.

Will the Minister provide an update on funding provided to maintain Parnell Place bus station in Cork and an update on plans to renovated it? Right now, the Parnell Place bus station is in a terrible condition. It looks absolutely horrible. When tourists come to the city, this is their first stop. When they see the condition of it, it does not promote the country, or Cork, as a tourist destination.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Transport Authority has advised my Department that an accessibility upgrade project of Parnell Place bus station in Cork, which includes some station enhancements, is planned under the public transport retrofit accessibility programme. This programme funds the retrofitting of older public transport infrastructure and facilities, to ensure access for everyone, including disabled and older people. According to the NTA the preferred option identified in Cork includes improved layout, signage, lighting, bathroom upgrades, internal ramps and steps, as well as work at entrance doors. The need for a changing places facility has also been identified.

A reconfiguration of existing staff accommodation is required to facilitate the proposed works within the confines of the existing building. The project is estimated to cost €5.3 million, and subject to available funding, is scheduled for construction in 2026.

More broadly, Cork is growing and needs a new bus network that works for a developing city. BusConnects Cork is a key part of the Government’s policies to improve public transport and address climate change in Cork. Its aim is to deliver an enhanced bus system that is better for the city, its people and the environment. It is designed to provide a better, more reliable and more efficient bus service in addition to providing safe cycling facilities along key routes.

Various upgrades and improvements are due to take place, such as building a network of new sustainable transport corridors, redesigning the bus network, introducing a state-of-the-art ticketing system, transitioning to a new zero emissions bus fleet, new park-and-ride sites in key locations and new bus stops and shelters with better signage and information.

I am sure the Deputy will agree that these changes through BusConnects Cork are positive developments that will overhaul the current public transport system in the Cork metropolitan area.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister discussed BusConnects but that is not what I am here to talk about today.

I am here to talk about the condition of the Parnell Place bus station. The Minister has outlined over €5 million for works that will be started if funding is got in 2026. The bus station is a disgrace to Bus Éireann and to the people of Cork, and it is a disgrace to this Government that it would allow people to go in there. To give the Minister an idea, a lady who contacted me uses the bus service and has to travel long distances to visit family. She has to wear incontinence pads because she cannot trust that the toilets will be operational because they close in the evening time. When they are open during the daytime, some days they are in a condition where they cannot be used. I want to say that this is not a reflection on the staff. This is a reflection of a lack of investment and a lack of money from the Government that allows this to happen.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I do not disagree with the Deputy. We have to have really good quality public transport bus stations and Parnell Place bus station clearly does not meet that criterion. That is recognised by the fact that a detailed design and assessment has been done, an estimate of the cost and a due scheduled investment so that the works start the year after next. I would prefer them to start next year. However, no one could argue that this Government has not been investing in public transport. There has never before been anything like this in terms of taking a lot of political hits to deliberately say we are going to invest twice as much in public transport as in roads. A lot of people do not agree with that because, understandably, they want new roads but we did that and put it into the programme for Government on the basis that there had been underinvestment in public transport.

That state of Parnell Place bus station is because of decades of underinvestment and that is changing. I am very confident the money will be provided, and that would be in the budget cycle of the next Government. I see that coming because I cannot believe there would be a political party that would not support an ongoing allocation of funding prioritising public transport for a variety reasons, one of the first being that it is socially just because it benefits everyone when you make that investment. I absolutely agree; we need to upgrade Parnell Place bus station. The plans are there, the funding will be there and it should be done.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I just want to make it clear: the Minister agrees with me that Parnell Place bus station is in a shocking condition at the moment and then in the same tone, he said that funding might be there in two years' time. We need funding now. We need a proper bus station now. We need proper bus, toilet and changing facilities. The Minister outlined everything that is being done but another question being asked in Cork is whether Parnell Place is the right location for the bus station. Would we be better off investing in it right now to bring it up to standard? People have asked whether it would be better located next to the train station. I have not looked into the data about that. Maybe the Minister has and maybe Bus Éireann has but what I can tell the Minister right now, today, is that Parnell Place bus station is a disgrace and it is under the Minister's watch. Is he going to provide funding for works to be started now?

How much money is spent on maintenance? I went in there recently. A number of people have contacted me to say they were ashamed of their lives. It is dirty and filthy. How could you bring anyone into the city? Whatever about tourists, what about our own people, young people and older people, who are going in there now? I am asking the Minister if he will commit today to providing funding to get immediate works started there and a plan put in place. Right now, it is not good enough.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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We provide the funding and Bus Éireann has to manage its resources under the whole schedule of different works. There is a major problem in Cork - the Deputy knows this - with regard to the need for new mechanics and bus drivers. We need to invest in a whole variety of ways in our public transport system. Bus Éireann is stating that is the schedule and these are the types of works that need to be done and I am fully supportive of it being done. However, it is Bus Éireann that has to make sure that the spending and investments are made. Yes, it needs to be done and I will do everything I can to make sure it is done as soon as possible.