Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I remind the Deputy that while Sinn Féin's alternative budget did propose additional funding in a number of areas, it did not propose any additional funding for public transport. I can only conclude from that, therefore, that the Deputy supports the levels of subvention that the Government is currently giving to the CIE companies.

If a privatisation agenda is being pursued by this Government, we would not be trying to save these companies. There is no privatisation agenda here. We are trying to save these companies so that passengers can continue to rely on the services they provide and so people who work hard in those companies for modest wages can keep their jobs. We do not want these companies to fail. Even if one wanted the private sector to take over, it would not be possible; it does not have the capacity to do it. The Government's policy is to try to save these companies' services and jobs.

It is important to keep the subvention issue in context, so I will give two sets of figures. The subvention Bus Éireann will get this year is just over €34 million. It was €36.5 million in 2007 and €26.4 million in 2006 when the economy was roaring ahead. At the peak of the boom, the company was receiving a lower subvention that it does now.

The same applies to Dublin Bus. Its subvention last year was €74 million, but was only €69 million in 2006.

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