Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, replying on this matter. I recall the Minister speaking eloquently and properly in Enniskillen about cross-Border co-operation and the real progress that has been made in the province of Ulster, especially since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. The route I have spoken about is Enniskillen, Swanlinbar, Bawnboy, Ballyconnell and on to Cavan. The service is part of south Fermanagh and it has the potential to service an even bigger area in south Leitrim, as Deputy Naughten agreed, as well as west Cavan. Bus Éireann said in a reply to local media that it was due to low customer usage, but it refused to detail the records about the numbers travelling. To my knowledge, that route is very well used in the area. The reply given by Bus Éireann is unacceptable.

I appreciate the Minister making arrangements for Members of the Oireachtas to meet the chief executive of Bus Éireann but will the Minister put a direct request to Bus Éireann on my behalf that this route be considered a public service obligation? It is an addition to the Dublin to Donegal Expressway service. If necessary, we could avail of a very small amount of the large public funding that is given to Bus Éireann. Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal do not have access to rail services but I have read recently of new rail services that are not being utilised being provided in counties where there are both bus and rail services.

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