When people mention that they are living in Galway City, it becomes the butt of a joke because of the chronic traffic situation, the Dáil has heard.

The comment came during a lengthy debate on traffic issues in the city.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan spoke about the need to accelerate the proposed BusConnects Galway Cross-City Link (University Road to Dublin Road) scheme.

And he again confirmed that the development of light rail would be seriously considered.

Deputy Mairead Farrell (SF) said that she and others had called for more frequent bus services at peak times at affordable fares, but this had not happened.

The Galway West TD expressed her reservations that the Cross-City Link connecting the western and eastern suburbs would solve Galway’s traffic woes.

“When a person mentions they are from Galway, it is often the butt of a joke. As Galwegians, we know when traffic will be worse and we always factor that into our daily commute.

“While reputational damage is frustrating, what is really frustrating for those people is the real-life impact on their lives as a result of the traffic.

“For a person living on one side of the city and working on the other, the lack of public transport options, particularly the lack of direct links across the city, is truly shocking,” Deputy Farrell added.

Deputy Catherine Connolly (Ind) said the city had now been left in limbo since An Bord Pleanála conceded it did not take into account the State’s climate action plan in its decision on the Galway City Ring Road.

While she was not an advocate of the Galway City Ring Road, she said over the years the rail services and bus services were not used to their potential.

“I cannot express the sense of frustration that motorists and people in Galway feel with the traffic congestion.

“As an elected member since 1999, I could line up the reports from the floor to the ceiling – without exaggeration – in relation to putting all our eggs in the one basket of an outer bypass.

In response, Minister Ryan stated that the BusConnects needed to be accelerated. In other cities where a similar option had been considered, it was taking 10 years to deliver. He said that he wanted to reduce this considerably.

“However, I am encouraged that there has been a start to the work on the Salmon Weir Bridge and that quite advanced work has also been done on the Dublin Road.

“That might provide us with the first significant public transport spine that will allow us to start changing the way the city works,” said Minister Ryan.