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

It is the Minister who chose to remain silent over the last number of weeks. As he was requested to do, he could have clearly articulated his position and that of the Government. The 11% increase on the PSO leaves funding at a point 20% less than in 2010. The Minister says the PSO has nothing to do with the Expressway service. He is right. Is he going to seek an increase from the free travel funding provided from the Department of Social Protection? Has the Minister received a review from the NTA of the way in which licences are issued? Is that report with him and is he going to share it with the House?

When the Minister talks about there being only eight additional licences, he does not acknowledge how many additional routes each of those licences covers and he does not acknowledge that commercial buses do not serve many provincial towns the length and breadth of this country.

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