Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the issue of fines, unless I misheard, some €1.8 million has been collected in fines from both organisations. For the life of me, I cannot understand what that achieves. I know there must be some sanction, but I cannot understand what it achieves. Dublin Bus will come to the Exchequer looking for the money it is short at the end of the year. I do not know what Go-Ahead Ireland will do for the shortfall in its organisation. This is madness. I see it happening all the time across the public sector, where one organisation is fined and the taxpayer picks up the cost at the end of the day. It is outrageous that we are hearing that sort of figure. I appreciate that Ms Graham has a job to do and she does a fairly good job at trying to get all of the bits together. I am not criticising her.

As for the 63 bus in the Stepaside-Kiltiernan area, I have notes indicating that it arrived but went on an amended route once and in a single month was a no-show on the 18th, 20th, 21st, 23rd and 24th. Moreover, two buses were cancelled on the 26th of the month . That information came from Councillor Michael Fleming who is inundated with people calling him about the poor service. I am reliably told by people living in the Kiltiernan area who are located 5 km from the local Luas stop that they cannot get a bus that will get them into town for 9 a.m. Can Go-Ahead Ireland explain how this is happening?