Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the work the NTA is doing nationally. While I see significant successes, there are also weaknesses. I am concerned that of the 1.9 million passengers, almost 1 million were those using free travel, that is, older people or people with a different entitlement to free travel, including people with disabilities. The figure for those requiring assistance is 200,000. It seems as though the NTA is meeting a great need, which I acknowledge. It is of great importance to people who would not otherwise have the capacity to meet their own transport needs. I also welcome the recognition of gaps in service. In principle, the NTA is looking for a private sector and community solution.

One community solution which has been mentioned to me is in Louth, Meath and Fingal where a local service operates. A driver is registered, has Garda clearance and provides his or her own vehicle. He or she would not actually be paid but would be known to the people in the area. One will know the person, can telephone him or her and organise transport. If there is payment it is in lieu of something. That is one issue on which we will invite them before the committee to discuss. The problem our earlier witnesses raised was that the cost of insurance, even for a driver with 30 years of accident-free driving, could be €6,000 or €8,000. I presume that the grant aid to which Ms Graham referred would be at that level of commitment, where there is no service at all. Could she expand on what the NTA would do? Would it basically pay the insurance where there is no service?