Mr. J.J. Kavanagh:

To obtain a licence for an event we apply to the NTA and in normal circumstances, the licence will be granted. We then have to get approval from the local authority where the event is taking place and for all stops that we propose to use along the route. We could be talking about four or five different local authority areas in which we would have to get approvals.

With Dublin in particular, the NTA has regular meetings with the local authority here. It has a task force and an expert group in place to determine safety and other aspects of events. Unfortunately, these meetings have only started taking place quite recently and the events are due to happen very soon. I think there is a concert here in two weeks time or next week. Matches will be taking place all summer. Our proposal is that when the event is announced, adequate capacity should be put in place to ensure that pick-ups and set-downs are part of the solution. If coaches bringing people, particularly from the country, are not able to access safe parking, people will not use them. If people have to walk for 40 or 50 minutes to get to a venue, particularly if they are only coming to Dublin a few times a year, they will be put off. People may not know where they are going. They may come out after an event at 10 or 11 o'clock at night and become disorientated, particularly younger people. It is very important that safe parking is part of the solution. If public transport is not being used, it obviously means there will be more cars travelling into the city to these events. This is a vital point.