Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

After the Department of Social Protection administers the provision of the cards and the administration relating to who is eligible for free travel, it becomes a matter for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to ensure the relevant parties do not lose as a result of abuse. I do not believe that is happening. That is the point. The Department of Social Protection is operating the scheme and I do not think it is a matter for that Department to do any more. That Department is issuing the new electronic identification cards and so on. However, not enough is being done by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to ensure abuse is prevented. That is the point. This needs to be examined.

The scheme is in place and it is valuable. It is in place to provide and assist vulnerable people who do not have access to other modes of transport in most cases. Unfortunately, when people abuse the system, it impacts on those who need it most. They become the losers.

In recent years, oil prices have come down significantly. Thankfully, this has been a help. We have seen some small rises recently. Last week, I asked about the implementation of the fuel-saving mechanisms on buses. I was told that a 1% saving would amount to €360,000. This suggests €36 million is what Bus Éireann spends on fuel. The figures are particularly high. That is a vast amount for any State company to spend per annum. What level of oversight does the Department over procurement to ensure the company is getting the best value for money? Given such amounts, even small margins represent major potential losses or gains for the company, and, therefore, for the State and the public. Given the scale of expenditure, is there forensic examination of the procurement process for fuel by the Department?