Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the past two weeks, numerous articles have been written in the press about the financial state of Bus Éireann, with losses of €6 million last year and projected losses of €7 million this year. While these losses are significant and unsustainable in the long run, services to people across the country should not be jeopardised.

The semi-State company faults Expressway services for significant losses and is seeking to separate it from the rest of the firm. Bus Éireann contracted Grant Thornton to carry out a report on the losses and how they could be tackled. It seems the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, and the Government are accepting that it is inevitable that there will be cuts to routes all over the country and cuts to overtime for staff which, in itself, will lead to a reduction in services.

There is no quick fix for this challenge, but there needs to be a constructive approach from all stakeholders, including the National Transport Authority, management, unions and the Government, regarding how services can be sustained into the future. The Grant Thornton report has been freely available since last week, yet the Minister, Deputy Ross, claimed he has not read it. In the interests of being helpful, I made a copy of the report I received and left it in the Minister's pigeonhole yesterday. How could he brief the Cabinet yesterday on a report that the Taoiseach claimed he had not received or read? The report recommended route closures across the country and job losses, and is generating real anxiety and worry across the country from people who rely on public transport.

The Minister seems to be ducking and diving from playing any role in how access to bus services will impact on the public. The Taoiseach and Government have a role to play.

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