Green TD accuses big parties of seeking the coalition partner 'they can buy for the cheapest'
Dún Party Is Public Ossian Guaranteed Only Prioritise Brian Said Td To Laoghaire Picture: Smyth His Party File Lawless/pa The Transport Green
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are looking at “who they can buy for the cheapest” to form a coalition, a Green Party TD has said.
Ossian Smyth claimed his party’s former partners in government are looking to team up with “whoever they can push around” and may not want the Green Party because it “put up strong resistance” against them.
Mr Smyth was speaking at the launch of the Green Party’s programme for public transport investment where he said the Greens are the only party guaranteed to prioritise public transport because they “care more” about it.
The Green Party pledged to invest an additional €10bn to deliver major public transport projects including Dart+, the Metro, Luas extensions, and metropolitan rail for Cork, Waterford, and Limerick. The party will also establish an office of punctuality which Neasa Hourigan said would be “completely transformative” in public transport. She said:
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Additionally, the Green Party said the train service should have a food and beverage service and the option of a ‘quiet carriage’ on all trains.
Ms Hourigan raised the issue of broken lifts at train stations and the obstacle this creates for people with disabilities who want to use public transport.
“The funding in this regard in our plans would really tackle that issue,” she said.
Disability was also a focus for the Labour Party as it outlined how it intends to tackle the difficulties families face in terms of school places, assessment of needs, and therapies.
Children with disabilities are being failed by the State, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said, as almost 13,000 children are overdue assessment of needs.
“Interestingly, when we put this document together it was 11,500 children,” Ms Bacik said.
In its manifesto, Labour states that there should be a €15m waiting list initiative that would reimburse parents who have been forced to seek private therapies while waiting for public appointments.