Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the National Transport Authority for the presentations to us. The Local Link service is second to none as a daytime service. It is absolutely meticulous, and it is a model that should be looked at in rolling out any future transport service. I am not just talking about west Cork or County Cork, but Local Link throughout the country. The people on the board represent a geographic spread, so they understand what is needed in each area and thankfully they ensure that everyone is catered for. There are very few people throughout the country who have any issues with Local Link as a daytime service. The only worries we have are the contracts that are being awarded at the moment. That decision is very important, as Deputy Troy said. It is awaited by these groups so they can continue the roll-out of the good work they do.

I do not have much faith in the new service. If I am proven wrong I will be quite happy to accept that. I said earlier today that the horse has bolted. We should have been sitting here two years ago, before the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, introduced the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act 2018. That would have been very helpful. We would at least have been able to try to counteract the very significant damage that has been done to rural Ireland. In my own area, several pubs and businesses have closed in the last few months thanks to this Act. The witnesses have said it could take months for this to get off the ground. The reason I cannot see it working is that a whole load of regulations are to be attached to this service. The NTA will give operators some grant aid. We are talking about a seven-seat or eight-seat vehicle. It will have to be wheelchair accessible. The providers will obviously have to be Garda vetted. There will have to be insurance. That is a significant issue for any operator trying to run a business. The NTA will pay the operator monthly payments. First he or she has to buy the vehicle, then he or she has to insure it. The operator will by then have spent a lot of money.