Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

May I come in on that point? Does the Minister accept that if Bus Éireann does not win the tender, it will experience an immediate reduction in revenue because the majority of routes put out to tender are the most profitable ones? The most profitable routes are being creamed off such that our national bus service is weakened every time a route goes to tender. As the Minister knows, it is all about business models. Bus Éireann's chance of successfully tendering for contracts is weakened because some of the most profitable routes have been privatised and its revenue is down as a result. It is being progressively weakened. This is privatisation. Assets may not be sold but the constant outsourcing to the detriment of our public transport network is privatisation.