Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)

My question is on 101X service. In this regard, I am going to read an email. It is typical of the emails I receive very regularly. It states:

I am writing to you ... because I am at my wits end with Transport for Ireland and their complete failure to provide express bus services to the people of Balbriggan and Balrothery. The anxiety this is causing me is unbearable and I need your help.

This has been going on for 2 years now, ever since Transport for Ireland took over the bus route from Bus Eireann. The service has gone completely downhill, and they are refusing to do anything about it.

The problem is simple, they are running buses that are not suitable for the amount of people trying to get on them ... The bus size is completely inadequate for peak time. I am getting left behind 2-3 times a week trying to get to work ...

This morning [on 23 September] the 7am and 7:30am 101X express buses were ... completely full and couldn't pick anyone up .... I walked walked ... 3 km to ensure I would not be left behind today, but I was. Having two express buses going past me is the final straw .... I cannot take it anymore.

I have been constantly raising this ... with Transport for Ireland .... All they keep saying is they are "aware of the issue" .... They keep trying to blame the bus drivers when it's clearly not their fault, it's a capacity problem ...

Bus Éireann a few years ago actually put on a private minibus to solve this exact issue when they could see there was a problem. But now Transport for Ireland are refusing to do [so and they just ignore it] ...

[...]

The constant uncertainty of whether I will be able to catch a bus is causing me severe anxiety. This is affecting real people’s mental health, and Transport for Ireland don’t not seem to care. They have a solution right there, put bigger buses on or add extra services during peak time ...