Mr. Dermot O'Leary:

The last question the Deputy asked ties in with one of the questions she asked earlier. In terms of drivers who would be discommoded if Bus Éireann does not achieve the contract, for example for the route No. 126 in her area, this is unfortunately nearly a mirror of what happened back in 2015. At that time the same Department, which has now gone to the hills, and the same National Transport Authority, which says it has nothing to do with it, were dragged kicking and screaming to the table. As a result of a dispute, which unfortunately discommoded people that needed the service and people that work in the industry, we got around a table, which we should have done long ago in this dispute as well, and came up with an agreement that allowed for market growth. More importantly this market growth was to be funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which was not available before the dispute. Thankfully all that occurred was that some of the drivers involved were discommoded from their locations. That is unfortunate but thankfully, because of that agreement, the market growth is envisaged at this stage to go beyond what may be lost. No drivers will lose their job with Bus Éireann. That is the first aspect.

In terms of state aid, I will say that certain private companies, which the Chairman will rightly not allow me to identify, are getting state aid through intervention from the Department of Social Protection, for example in terms of the family income supplement. To go back to what the Minister said about state aid, and I have said it already, I would like to see the state aid rules in question. I am not a legal expert but I have been reading up on this since the privatisation debate and before. I would like to see them because as far as I am concerned there are no state aid rules. I will say this to Deputy Murphy, we are the best country in the world, certainly the best in Europe, at pointing towards Europe and saying it is its fault and that we have to do such a thing because Europe says so.

There are one or two individuals in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport who should nearly go over to Europe. I believe they are probably speaking French at this stage they are so in love with Europe.

There are no state rules that debar the NTA from intervening regarding the routes off the motorway.