Mr. Peter O'Toole:

Under the NTA proposal, all the services in Waterford city are being put out to tender and not just 10%. It will work out at a 20% loss of jobs in the Waterford depot if we do not win the contract, for which we are allowed to tender. As sure as night follows day, the lowest tender will get the contract. That applies in almost every walk of life. When the city services are awarded and we lose that number of employees, we will be left with the commercial Expressway service, with which we have no problem. There are two other bus companies, which have been there for years, competing on the city services, which is no problem at all. Competition is also not a problem on the Expressway route but we do not have a level playing field. I am sure it has come to the attention of Deputies, Senators and councillors that lately private companies have not been accepting free bus passes on non-stop bus services, some of which go to airports and bypass small towns. I have met the companies myself. I go on Eirebus and the other company is not taking bus passes.