Mr. Aidan Murphy:

The average age of the fleet at the moment, between PSO and Expressway vehicles, is just seven years, or 6.7 to be precise. For the total kilometerage we are doing, that is really high. I am not saying it is unacceptable but, for example, it is at the level where we are beginning to experience significant overruns in some of our maintenance costs this year. At the end of the day, it is like kicking the can down the road. If one delays decisions like that, it starts to pop up at a later stage and then it affects one's profitability in later years, which affects one's ability to reinvest. One has to confront these things as one goes along. Obviously, because we have been through a very difficult period of time over the past number of years, decisions have been made to put off some of the reinvestment decisions but we are moving back towards reinvestment and we hope over a period of time to bring the average age down.

We have apps. For example, one can now use an app on one's mobile telephone. If one buys a ticket online, one can use an app to scan through as one boards the bus. However, we are developing further refinements, which will be very interesting going forward.

In regard to moving people from their own transport to public transport, there are a number of things one has to do. It has to be cost effective. Congestion is beginning to reappear in the greater Dublin area. For example, our drivers are experiencing congestion starting to creep back in once they reach the outskirts of the greater Dublin area. That is delaying some of the transit times. One has to be able to convince commuters that there is a better and a more relaxed way to travel where they can do some work using WiFi and read the newspapers. They will want a modern fleet with facilities, efficiency of service and connectivity. They will want to be sure that if they arrive at a bus stop at 7.20 a.m., the bus will be there and not at 7.19 a.m. or 7.21 a.m. Being able to rely on the service is key for people who have busy lives. Obviously, there is some discomfort in bad weather but we believe all the other benefits outweigh using one's own car to come into the city, in particular.