Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have repeatedly raised this issue over recent months and I am pleased to have the opportunity to raise it today. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, will relay my concerns to his colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton. The Lough Swilly bus company provided a service from Buncrana to Derry city, including all the stops along the way. The service was very important to the elderly and disabled people who use the route. Given that the Lough Swilly bus company has gone into receivership, a new company, McGonagle bus service of Buncrana, has taken over the route. Under the rules around the free travel scheme, however, it has not been able to avail of financial assistance that would enable it to provide a free bus service to the elderly and disabled. It is unfair. In recent days I have learned that Ms Marian Harkin, MEP, has pursued the issue at European level and the European Commission has ruled that the Government cannot do what it is doing.

If the Minister of State has not received a response from his departmental officials, I ask him to have the matter checked out. My understanding is that the European Commission has ruled against Ireland, saying that it cannot deny entry to the scheme. That would include McGonagle's bus services, so hopefully that will resolve the issue.

I am disappointed, however, because elderly and disabled people along the route have been put to considerable economic hardship by having to pay for a service that is free for every other elderly or disabled person across this State. It is not a case of freezing a service, because the Minister of State has taken the service away without reinstating it. If the service was frozen, he would have ensured that the new company, which is on exactly the same route that was always historically provided, would be provided with the financial assistance to cater for elderly and disabled passengers.

I and other public representatives have repeatedly raised this matter. The Minister of State may say that a review is under way and that we must await the outcome of that review before allowing new participants onto the scheme. In this case, however, a service has been withdrawn from that community rather than being frozen. Citizens who should have a right to a free bus service in order to interact socially with family and friends - something that every other senior citizen across the State has - are being denied their rights. Disabled people, as well as families with relatives in respite care, and those with loved ones studying in Derry or availing of services in other locations along the route are being denied that right. That is how serious this matter is. It is not a frivolous or trivial matter.

I am interested in this confirmation from Marian Harkin, MEP, who raised the issue concerning a company in County Cavan called Leydon's Coaches. She challenged the issue under EU competition law and apparently the European Commission has overturned it. I appreciate that the Minister of State may not have had a briefing on that, as he had no advance warning. Nonetheless, will be please look into the issue and ensure that it is resolved? Even if that information about the European Commission's ruling is not 100% accurate - and I am relying on Marian Harkin's guidance in this - the issue has to be resolved. I therefore ask the Minister of State to reinstate the service.

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