Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you. My next question is for Ms. Graham of the NTA. There are new routes in operation now and I welcome new routes like the 323 and the 345, particularly the former serving Birdhill, which I sought. In more recent times, the X12 Limerick to Dublin Expressway route, which served Nenagh, Roscrea, Portlaoise, the University of Limerick and many locations outside Limerick city, including Castletroy, was discontinued on 29 January. The NTA's letter to this committee and to me as a Deputy for the Limerick City constituency states that there are sufficient services along the route. However, only one provider on the route, JJ Kavanagh & Sons, which is providing a good service, is serving Roscrea, Nenagh and Portlaoise. The other providers are not serving those places but are providing a direct service between Dublin and Limerick. Why did the NTA not ask Bus Éireann to defer decisions on its Expressway routes until after the Covid-19 pandemic? Certainly decisions regarding Cork and Galway have been deferred. Those routes are continuing to operate, albeit at a reduced level because of Covid-19.