Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

On 1 April, the mask slipped a little when the Minister said in an interview that the Government may allow Bus Éireann to fold. He did say that this would not be his preferred option but he then highlighted what he described as the reality of the fact that there are more and more private transport firms in the field, which clearly indicates that this is an alternative he would consider. The Minister has just expressed his concern for the taxpayer. It would cost the taxpayer a king's ransom if the Government were to allow Bus Éireann to go to the wall. Some €59 million in payroll taxes would be forgone. The Minister could buy a lot of Diet Coke with that. There would also be hundreds of millions in redundancy and social welfare payments.

Leaving the word "gift" out of it, the Minister's Department clearly has the option of increasing payments made for the free travel pass to semi-State companies. We have been hearing for months that this is in the pipeline.

The crisis continues and yet the money continues to be withheld. Why? What is the story there? What is the agenda?

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