Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

That is despite the fact that the Opposition called on us to spend even more money.

No area of Government expenditure will escape cuts or will not have changes made to it. The Department of Transport will be no more exempt than any other Department. In the context of what Deputy Broughan said, I will try to ensure that the commitment contained in the renewed programme for Government in respect of public transport will be adhered to. I agree with him that we have quite an amount of catching up to do.

I do not, however, agree with everything the Deputy says. He wanted me to pay for 300 new buses at a time when it was clear that they were not needed and when those already on the roads were not being used efficiently.

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