Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I put it to the Deputy that between 2007 and 2011 there was a 21.7% decrease in the amount of people using the services. CIE has been increasing the fares but it simply cannot go on. It will reach a stage when people will be unable to afford the fares. We need to encourage more people to use public transport. The reason buses, including the bus to which Deputy Dooley referred, are being taken off the road is that CIE and Irish Rail maintain that the problem is that people are not using them. We need to get more and more people using public transport.

I noted in my reply that the companies have received a record amount of subventions this year and the Government is committed to the €36 million. Arrangements are being made to draw down the funding in the amount of €16 million but CIE cannot continue to come back to the Government. CIE must put forward proposals and plans and put in place a business plan to ensure it is competitive. Other people and services have lost out as a result of this. Other commitments were made by the Department with that money in mind this year but we have had to use it to subvent CIE. It cannot go on and CIE must start to work on it. Deputy Dooley comes from rural Ireland, as do I. There are empty trains going up and down. Why is CIE not using the business brain to try to get more numbers on trains? Why does it not put on special offers and deals rather than remain dependent on putting up fares?

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