Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

The question revolves around the planned cuts to Luas and the spill over impact in this regard on bus services running off the Luas line. I was surprised that some of my other questions on Luas were ruled out of order. I do not understand why the Minister or Department of Transport is not directly responsible for the provision of Luas services and so on given that is the function of that Ministry.

The €1.5 million in cuts will result in seven drivers and four inspectors being taken off the new Luas extensions to Cherrywood, Sandyford, Brides Glen, Saggart and the city. The Minister of State stated the main adjustments will be during off-peak periods. Perhaps he will tell us what will be the level of reduction in services. Currently, off-peak there is a Luas every 15 minutes. I have heard from people working on the Luas that in future off-peak there will be a Luas every half hour. Perhaps the Minister of State will clarify if this is the case.

This is not good. The Government constantly speaks about the need to create the conditions for employment. Cherrywood is a strategic development zone in which there has been significant public investment.

The fact that Luas services will be cut will hardly encourage people to invest in the Cherrywood strategic development zone. Ticket inspectors have told me that it is really ludicrous to cut their jobs because money will be lost as a result. Just 85% of people currently pay their fares on the Luas. The rate of non-payment of approximately 15% will increase if we do not retain the current number of inspectors. The inspectors argue that their jobs are self-financing. I ask the Minister of State to do something about these unnecessary service cuts and stupid job cuts.

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