Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)

My questions are for the NTA but I will make one comment to Mr. Kent. He said the professor has drawn up the report regarding the over-70s. I do not want an answer now as it will eat up all my time. Surely, however, a medically qualified person is who we should look to to get a report from with regard to drivers aged over 70, not a professor, who would not be a medically qualified person. I will have to leave it at that. It was an interesting conversation on what is a very important issue.

I have some questions for the NTA and I am conscious that my time is tight. If the witnesses cannot answer me now, they might send the answers to me. Councillor Linda de Courcy tells me that in Rathcoole, hundreds of new houses have been built and the population has risen phenomenally recently. There is a 69 bus route but it only has one bus per hour. With the increase in population in Rathcoole and Saggart, Councillor de Courcy and the people there are convinced that more frequent bus services are needed. The NTA might come back to me on that, and Dublin Bus or Go-Ahead could also answer. Will more frequent services be provided?

With regard to ghost buses, the service is not reliable. Why does the NTA keep renewing the contract for a company that is not reliable?

The Luas is probably not on the agenda today but I will raise it because the NTA covers this project. The emerging preferred route is from Ballincollig to Mahon, which is fantastic. However, what plans does the NTA have for the 120 km west of Cork city that has no Luas and no rail? There is nothing - not even a sign for rail.

With regard to rural transport, there is no doubt that it is a game-changer. It is brilliant. It has been rolled out to perfection in so many ways. I accept that when we cover one route, there is always another route that was not covered. That is something we can negotiate.

I live on the Mizen Peninsula. Quite a lot of people come to Mizen Head. The bus goes in by one route and out by the same route. People have been saying to me that there would be no extra kilometres in taking it in by one route and out by another route. We put forward the same thing in Castletownshend and it is the same with the Mizen route. It is a common-sense thing to do as it would pick up a lot more people. We have to remember that many people in rural areas do not have transport. If we did this, they could come to the bottom of the road and get the bus. We are not trying to take it off-route or make crazy journeys. That cannot happen, as we know. The Mizen route, the Castletownbere to Kilcrohane route and the Castletownshend route are fantastic routes. However, there is still a very open area in parts of west Cork, in places like Clonakilty, Ballinacarriga, Dunmanway, Drimoleague and Caheragh. Some of those areas do not see a bus at any time of the day, from start to finish. I would appreciate it if the NTA could write back to me with the answer.