Ms Anne Graham:

The normal process is that every year we seek funding for the PSO, because we have an annual budget. There is no multi-annual funding associated with the PSO, which is looked at annually. We either put proposals forward on fare changes - that usually means fare reductions - which is fare forgone, and so we need additional funding to continue the operations, or we propose an increase in frequency or the provision of services. In recent years, because of the deficit in the amount of service available across cities, but also in rural Ireland, our focus and priority has been on additional services rather than necessarily fare reductions. That is what we have been doing year on year.

We want to make sure that if we are looking at any kind of fare proposals on the boundary, that we do it in a fair way and that we do not just push the problem further out. That is why the study is being done, so that if we, the Government or the Department want to make changes in those locations, that we do it in a structured way that does not impact on other communities and cause problems further down the line. That work will be done, and it will be our decision as an authority if we want to bring forward those proposals - if we feel that is our priority - versus looking at transport provision. The Government is also able to make a decision as well.