Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to our meeting and thank her for her attendance, informative presentation and personal knowledge of the brief. I am already briefed, in the sense that some of the questions I had intended to ask have already been asked and there is no point in repetition.

What level of driving tests is being conducted at the moment? Based on the feedback that I am getting from applicants for driving tests in Tipperary, the system would appear to be at a standstill. The waiting list is getting longer and longer and, as a result, many young people who require a test are inconvenienced because they cannot access the service and are therefore unable to drive for essential purposes. What is the current period of delay from the time an application is made to an actual test?

I will also ask about Bus Éireann and the Expressway service. Bus services on routes from Cork to Dublin and Limerick to Dublin, which takes in a large part of Tipperary, are under a cloud at the moment. Bus Éireann has effectively said that it is going to dispense with them. Towns along the route from Limerick, including Nenagh, Toomevara and Roscrea, and along the route from Cork, including Cashel, will be affected. Cashel is a busy town and it is crucial to have connectivity. For many, that bus service is the only connectivity. It is an important service that is valued locally and used extensively in Cashel. Is the decision to curtail the Expressway service final or is it under review? Does the Minister of State understand the absolute necessity for Expressway services to be continued and can she intervene to see if they can be restored?

The Minister of State said that there is an increased budget for rural transport services that respond to local needs. Some €2 million is available in funding for the launch of new services in 2020. How is that additional fund accessed? Is it by way of application and, if so, what are the criteria and procedures to seek those funds? This is obviously important in rural areas.

What is the position regarding private bus operators? Many of them are effectively non-viable. They have had no income, despite the fact that they have overheads, for the past seven to eight months. They are leaderless and rudderless at the moment and have an uncertain future. The Minister of State mentioned in her statement that there is €100 million in additional funding. Who is in charge of that fund? Who makes the decision on how that funding is allocated? Is that still open or have decisions been made on it?