Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

The PSO programme, as the Deputy knows, is funded through a combination of Exchequer funding and passenger fare revenue. The fare revenue is not the main driver in 2025. The commitment is to service expansion. As regards things necessitated today, we have service expansion, we have cost increases, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach already said, and we have had, if we are honest, underfunding in recent years. Since Covid, there has been a need to review the whole structure. That has been the driver in terms of the costs. From a Government perspective, and as a Department, we are committed to ensuring that fares are competitive. I take the Deputy's point about the areas she refers to in terms of reduction in carriages-----