Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Can Mr. Nolan clarify what is happening with the Westport-Athlone route? My second question is for Ms Graham. From 2010 to 2014, what sort of cuts have been made to the NTA's budget? What are the figures?

Mr. Nolan said that Bus Éireann made a profit on the Expressway, and I would like to know what profit was made. Anybody will know that in business you win some and lose some and you have to sort of take the good with the bad. It is not just down to a simple matter. Mr. Nolan spoke about different parts of rural Ireland, how Bus Éireann is trying to help as much as it can, but he must also realise we have come through a fairly rough time, although going by the indications, there is all hope that the improvement is spreading out now. What I get from Mr. Nolan is that Bus Éireann is about to kill the goose that is going to lay the golden egg. Things are starting to move on out towards different parts of rural Ireland, which had not seen an improvement up to now, and the sooner we see it the better. Bus Éireann may be making a decision too early. In business as in any walk of life we have to take good and bad. Mr. Nolan cannot give us a figure for exactly what Bus Éireann was losing. Overall, from what I understand, it is making a profit. It is also making a profit on the school bus routes even though ten or 12 years ago some schools decided to amalgamate together - the goalposts have been changed in the last few years in some of that.

If we decide that a service will not go up a road where there is one house to deliver a letter, something is taken away. An Post was mentioned. Bus Éireann seems to be taking the same attitude. Basically, if the service is doing well, that is great, but if the service is not doing as well, it is time to say "Goodbye". We welcome motorways and faster travel times but should everybody not play on a level field? When the National Transport Authority, NTA, is giving out licences, should it not stipulate the towns to be serviced? Anybody in a business will go for the most lucrative and shortest routes. Should we not examine such issues?

Deputies Naughten and Feighan are also here. I have spoken to people in Leitrim. We have talked about rural transport and people trying to get to hospitals but such transport does not exist. I welcome the comments that the witnesses will sit down with councillors and public representatives in each affected county. There is a craving for services out there. Meetings may help resolve the issues we have talked about today and a proper service would help to revive different towns. We cannot just look at the short term or drop the hatchet. The sun may be coming over the horizon but it seems people want to pull the shield down on it. Some of these actions must be reconsidered. People pay tax in all parts of the country and it is our taxes that subsidise what these companies are doing. We have spoken about the routes and school runs, and taxes subsidise those services. I am not talking about a single part of Ireland but all the country, and we deserve services in different parts of Ireland.