Mr. Martin Nolan:

Deputy Dooley asked about cost savings and the comments by the Coach Tourism and Transport Council, CTTC. I was a little confused by those comments. On the one hand, the CTTC said Bus Éireann had good staff and that if they were to run the operation they would need some of our staff to do so. On the other hand, it said it did not want TUPE. This left me partially happy and partially not.

If the network itself is split up among a number of operators someone must bring it back together. In Copenhagen, for example, €28 million was spent on regulation. The cost of the job we do must be met somehow.

If Bus Éireann does not have work for its 2,500 staff they will become redundant and cost money that Bus Éireann does not have.

CTTC says it can provide a better service. We have worked with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and put our submissions to the authority, explaining our track record in public transport since the 1930s and in schools transport since the 1960s. Our performance stands by itself and the NTA and the Department recognise that.

I will ask my colleague, Mr. Rory Leahy, to talk about Carracastle, the N4, Ballinamore and Rathmullan.