Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will, but as part of an integrated assessment and modernisation update review, including how we are providing school public transport. That aspect must also be reviewed and improved. I refer as well to how our PSO system is working. The many supports in place during the Covid-19 pandemic helped us to get through those difficult times. We now need to undertake a complete review of our PSO services. We will be doing that in a context where we are also introducing many more bus services, particularly for rural Ireland, in the Connecting Ireland programme. A whole range of funding requirements is needed in that context. There is a need to encourage as many private operators as possible to provide concessionary travel for those eligible, but also to provide new services. It is about getting this right. It must also be recognised that we have introduced fare reductions for those aged under 24, and, indeed, for everyone. This is about the best use of resources to maximise public transport, especially in rural areas.

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