Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As regards the overall policy on road safety and the direction of travel as regards transport policy, it is about making it safe for walkers and cyclists and encouraging the use of public transport.

I want to raise something while the Minister of State is here with us. There has been a very significant uptake in public transport in County Meath. However, in recent weeks there has been a massive deterioration in the services provided by Bus Éireann, to the point that we are at a crisis point. On Monday, 20% of services on the 103 service were cancelled. Yesterday more than 10% were cancelled on the NX service, a busy service from Navan. There were 12 cancellations. The 103, 105 and 109 services serve Ashbourne, Ratoath, Navan, Duleek and the surrounding areas. There were massive cancellations that are really discommoding people. People are late for work, missing college lectures and missing hospital appointments. I was contacted by one constituent who had a keyholder responsibility in his post that he had to give up because he could not rely on public transport to get him in on time. Parents are ringing crèches because they missed picking up their kids. There is an acknowledgement from Bus Éireann. There is a shortage, which we have dealt with at this committee, in mechanics, drivers and buses. It really is an unacceptable level of service. There is no contingency in place. The committee has agreed that we will invite the NTA and Bus Éireann in before us next month. Is the Minister of State aware of this crisis within the bus services in County Meath? Is it something he can raise with the National Transport Authority and with Bus Éireann? Before things get worse, there needs to be an intervention at the highest possible level. We accept there are challenges but there have to be contingencies in place.