Mr. Seamus Boland:

Yes, I will come in on that and ask Mr. Kerry or Ms McKenna if they wish to add to what I will say.

We have a piece in our submission on the procurement and the four-year issue. We have asked in that piece that we really take a hard look at this. As we have stated in our submission, there is a lot of capacity and skills being built up and then in the four-year period, there is an uncertainty that these can be continued. As Mr. Kerry said, we are asking the honest question as to whether this is the best approach because it means there is uncertainty. I concur with the Deputy's acknowledgement of James O'Donoghue. I know him very well. He is passionate about the service and Waterford is very lucky to have somebody with his co-ordinating ability and structure. We in Irish Rural Link argue strongly that if the rural transport services are going to be developed, it has to be on a continuing basis. It has to move from, as Mr. Kerry outlined, where we were at one stage to the quite good place we are at now. However, the next stage is even more important.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach talked about when he lived in Germany. In 1994, I was able, with one ticket purchase, to get from the middle of absolutely rural nowhere in the south of England to the main railway station, from where I got the London train. I had to go to Ipswich. In Ballycumber, Offaly, where I live, I would love to be able to get the Leap card or another ticket in the local shop to take care of my journeys for the rest of the day. That is where we want to be.