Martin Cullens view of Public Transport in Dublin

clemo1

Statement by Martin Cullen in the Dail during a debate on subvention. you couldn't make it up:

"Perhaps we might look at the other side of the coin and consider whether we are more efficient than other states in our delivery of public transport and that we do not need the same level of subvention as is required in other cities. Could it not be that we do things well when it comes to the provision of public transport?"

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20061206.xml&Node=H10-4#H10-4

Any comments?

Chris_533976

Once I picked myself up off the floor from laughing, I promptly went and got sick in the bin. What a load of complete and utter RUBBISH.

DublinWriter

clemo1 wrote:

Could it not be that we do things well when it comes to the provision of public transport?"

Typical poltico double-speak...look at how the word 'not' is used in the above sentence.

markpb

I watched about 40 minutes of him on that particular day and it nearly made me cry. When the issue of the lowest subsidy in Europe was brought up, he came up with the OP's gem about them not needing more money because they're more effecient that our European counterparts.

When he was questioned about the trucks from the port tunnel screwing up the traffic on the M50, he accused the opposition of never being happy with our achievements.

When a PQ about a national road was refused on the grounds that it wasn't his responsibility, he laughed and said he never shied away from responsibility. And then didn't answer the question.

I want to cry some more...

SeanW

CIE is more efficient than anyone else in Europe? Merciful god does the BS ever stop?

Victor

SeanW wrote:

CIE is more efficient than anyone else in Europe? Merciful god does the BS ever stop?

Well on one measure it is. Whether that measure is overstated is another matter.

Capt'n Midnight

other states

unless he means a state of denial ?

strassenwolf

He said something along the same lines to the Committee on Transport during the week, here

Martin Cullen wrote:

The Government is committed to investment in public transport in Dublin and across the State. Everyone can see on a daily basis the transformation of our transport network on a scale that is unprecedented in the modern world.

I'm sure he's doing his best, but "unprecedented in the modern world" is surely a bit OTT.

Hagar

Martin Cullen's view of public transport is through the rear window of his State-supplied chauffeur-driven Mercedes as he speeds along our roads in a lane cleared by several Gardaí on motorcyles.

Capt'n Midnight

AFAIK this really only applies in comparison to other Irish cities, not inculding those across the border. Anywhere else in Europe I've been public transport is a viable option.

You can't compare us to the states, fuel for private cars is a fraction of the cost here and people get thought to drive in school so apart from places like New York and San Francisco there is a car culture that has been prevalant since the Ford Model-T. Here numbers of cars have doubled since 1990, which is a shocking vote of no-confidence in the level of public transport provided. So most motorists have come into being during the time FF and Co have been in power (apart from the brief rainbow).

We could have had european style transport for a fraction of the cost of the NRA spending on roads. We are an island so policies on VRT / Fuel / imports of cars is dead easy to impliment. Most of the population back in the early 1990's was within easy reach of the cities by suburban transport.

Navan Junction

Try this one from Noel Dempsey:

"the most significant announcement for Meath since the foundation of the state."

http://www.meathontrack.com/lmfm.html

Guess what he is talking about?

Winters

"Perhaps we might look at the other side of the coin and consider whether we are more efficient than other states in our delivery of public transport and that we do not need the same level of subvention as is required in other cities. Could it not be that we do things well when it comes to the provision of public transport?"

ehh, no Martin it is not.

Zebra3

clemo1 wrote:

Statement by Martin Cullen in the Dail during a debate on subvention. you couldn't make it up:

"Perhaps we might look at the other side of the coin and consider whether we are more efficient than other states in our delivery of public transport and that we do not need the same level of subvention as is required in other cities. Could it not be that we do things well when it comes to the provision of public transport?"

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20061206.xml&Node=H10-4#H10-4

Any comments?

As long the government decides that TDs become ministers for a nice geographical spread in the cabinet, this is the sort of moron that gets serious power. :mad:

OTK

Roisin Shortall seems pretty smart. Better than Joan Burton anyway.