Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government contains a commitment to recognise the value and benefit of rural transport to many communities, in particular older people vulnerable to social isolation. It goes on to say that the Government will examine how best to improve integration of services in the rural bus network within regions, including public buses, school transport and the Health Service Executive, HSE, transport networks. However, what is happening within Bus Éireann flies in the face of that commitment. Last week, the Taoiseach gave an assurance to Deputy Troy that there would be no reductions or cuts in services or routes across the regions of rural Ireland. We have now moved on from a concern about Expressway services to one where the acting chief executive is saying that Bus Éireann services in their entirety are in jeopardy, with 2,600 jobs at risk. There cannot be a rural transport system if that comes to fruition.

In many ways, there has been policy by stealth under way with regard to public transport. Essentially, that is what is behind the moves in respect of Bus Éireann. It is not just a narrow management-union issue. Who is in charge of the implementation of the rural transport network aspect of the programme for Government? Can the Taoiseach indicate what steps will be taken to realise the laudable objectives in the programme for Government pertaining to such transport?

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