Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

We held a long discussion on the amendments proposed by Deputy Broughan on Committee Stage but my view has not changed. It is unrealistic to expect that applicants for licences to provide public bus services on a commercial basis would be required to enter bonds or give guarantees in respect of the operation of those services if there is no cost or risk to the State. I reiterate my response on Committee State to the effect that in considering applications for licences, the authority is empowered under section 10(3) to seek assurances that the applicant has the capacity to obtain the necessary financial and other resources to provide the service. Linking of the requirement that an operator enters into a bond that would protect the State in the case of bankruptcy should be viewed against the absence of evidence that operators have abandoned or sought to revoke licences because of bankruptcy. For these reasons, I ask the Deputy to withdraw his amendments.

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