Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a misconception here that a PSO means the route is unprofitable. That is not true. It is a public service route. Some public service routes are profitable. What has been used in the past is the ability of profitable routes to cross-subsidise unprofitable routes. We know the routes. They are: the 17A, the 33A, the 33B, 45A, 45B, 59, 63, 63A, 75, 75A, 102, 111, 175, 184 and 185. Those are the routes that are currently operated by Go-Ahead. They are publicised routes. They are on the website for anybody, including the Minister, to familiarise him or herself with.

The question I have relates to the €3 million in taxpayers' money that is being made available for market opening. What exactly is it for? First, it was stated that because it is only a contracted service, it is for capital expenditure and the money is being spent to upgrade State infrastructure. Now we are being told it is some sort of bridging finance. Certainly, any time I got bridging finance I had to pay it back. We are told then Go-Ahead is not getting it, the NTA is getting it and there is no need for paying anything back. I am a little confused about exactly what the €3 million is for. The Minister should state clearly what the €3 million is being spent on.