Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I do not know what cutbacks the Deputy is talking about. The subvention given to Bus Éireann and CIE companies generally increased this year. In the supplementary budget on 7 April, we had to take €10 million of the increased subvention from the company but we did not do that until we received an assurance from the company that it would be able to find that extra money through sales of property or other means.

The Deputy is wrong to suggest there have been cutbacks. There has been a cut in the number of people using buses, that is part of the economic downturn. The Deputy and his party have often spoken of not wasting public money. Is he suggesting now that Bus Éireann should be running empty buses? That would not be a good use of public funds.

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