Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Does Ms Graham not think it would be prudent of the authority to seek assurances regarding how the money in question is spent? I ask that question in the context of the need to examine the unequal playing pitch that is a feature of the tendering process. For example, bus operators who do not enjoy State funding and do not have the ability to enjoy charitable status are competing in a disadvantaged position. Kerry Flyer, which has charitable status, divides the State funding that it gets from the NTA into two sections: staffing and support funding and non-wage funding. Kerry Flyer is at an advantage and the private operators are at a disadvantage. If this is allowed to continue as it has continued without being checked and scrutinised, it has the potential to put more and more private operators out of business.