Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What we are trying to convey is that we want to maintain these routes because they provide a social service as much as a transport service. The Minister mentioned that he was not in a position to wave his cheque book. That is fine, but at the same time he is talking to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, to look for more money. How can Bus Éireann talk to the unions and talk to the NTA about routes when it does not know what Deputy Varadkar will give it down the road? It has not approached Deputy Varadkar and said, "Perhaps if you gave us this amount of money we could compromise or deal with the workers and save some routes in the meantime". It is a loaded comment, but I believe the Minister should get involved.