Mr. Brendan Crowley:

It is a nationwide problem with drivers and mechanics. It is no different if it is commercial or PSO operators. We are all in the same boat. There is a labour shortage and we need to be looking at how to improve the supply of drivers. If I could link in what we were just talking about two seconds ago, I will give the Deputy a real example of the kinds of thing causing problems in relation to drivers. We have seen the under-nines scheme roll out in my area. When people get on the bus in the morning and hand their under-nine cards to the drivers, the drivers say they cannot take them. I looked at it and thought, who wants to start their day every morning by having a discussion with a youngster or their guardian as to why we are not going to take a card? It creates hostility for our drivers. We are in a space and time where people are less patient.

We participate in the strategic workforce committee in the Department of Transport to try to overcome this problem. We are also involved in the charter for passenger safety within the Department of Transport. All these things, though, come back to the small decisions made that have unintended consequences. Failing to address or reverse those issues means they become intended consequences. We have had lots of discussions about the over-70s and all that kind of stuff. We will park that for a minute. The people coming to work for us every day need to be coming to work in a pleasant environment and not in a challenging environment, where first thing every morning they are getting into an argument about whether somebody should pay the fare or not. It is a very small thing that would actually help us.