Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will just take one minute. I have been informed by the National Transport Authority, NTA, that the provision of an urban bus service in Carlow town is currently at the top of the list of the NTA towns project but requires funding from the Department. This troubles me because there was supposed to be funding coming for this project. I have been told that it is at the top of the list many times yet, at the moment, my understanding is there is no funding. The estimated cost of providing a Carlow town bus service is in the region €1 million to €1.5 million but the NTA funding allocation for 2021 does not include provision for the introduction of the new services. My understanding is this is because double the annual funding was required to sustain the current network of public transport services during the Covid-19 public health emergency. I know the NTA is fully committed to delivering the Carlow town bus network as soon as possible, once it gets the funding. I also know Carlow could have applied for funding if it had known that no funding was coming through this mechanism. There is no funding. What is happening with regard to a town bus service for Carlow?

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