Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

That is appreciated.

My first questions are for Mr. Hernan. I will ask a couple of questions about the position in Cork city and county which may be somewhat typical of the position elsewhere.

Let us consider the matter of access at the central bus station in Cork city, at Parnell Place, and how disability-friendly it is. Mr. Hernan will be familiar with the circumstances there and the layout of the bays. How many of them are good to go and allow wheelchair access? Mr. Hernan will be aware that some of them are exposed to the elements, while some are under cover. What is the position on the bays that are used to provide wheelchair access in terms of their exposure to the elements?

I was interested in the points raised on audio announcements. I was not quite clear what was said on the current position. What is the position on the Cork routes, for example? Is Mr. Hernan saying there are audio announcements on all of the city routes? Is he saying there are audio announcements on all of the routes that are not city based? Will he clarify the position on the matter?

My last question is for Mr. Egan and on the position on Transdev Ireland and Luas services. He mentioned that all services were wheelchair accessible. Although that is technically the case, how does it work out in practice?

With reference to the new Luas services from Bride's Glen to Broombridge, what is the position on the number of carriages used? It it now very common for the tram from Bride's Glen, for example, to fill up very quickly. The passengers waiting at stops down the line closer to the city have a right to gain access to the Luas, but effectively they cannot do so because the tram is full. Does Mr. Egan accept that this is a particular inconvenience for wheelchair users? What is the company's plan to address the issue and what is the timescale involved? I do not see how it can be addressed unless extra carriages are provided. When will that happen? What is the plan in that regard?