Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that I briefed the Cabinet yesterday. No decisions were to be made. I was keeping them informed and in touch with the current situation and its gravity, which I would not like to underestimate. One should not believe everything that one reads about what I said. The Deputy referred to cuts to six to eight routes. I addressed the issue of various routes but the numbers quoted by the Deputy are inaccurate. That is not her fault, because the information is not there. Whether certain routes are commercial and what should be done about them will have to be examined but I do not believe that I spoke in terms of axing routes, as quoted in the newspapers today, nor was there any question of privatisation. I wish to reassure the Deputy that there was no question of talking about privatisation yesterday.

The Deputy may be alarmed by how often I share her view, but I too believe public transport is the main channel for getting people out of their cars to free up the roads and improve the environment through lower emissions.

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