Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the update, the majority of which was contained in the response I received yesterday from the Department, which is welcome. A parallel I would draw is the issue of Go-Ahead experiencing higher than normal levels of Covid-related staff absences. We wish Covid on nobody but I do not understand how that company seems to have a worse number of cases of Covid than any other operator. It is having a serious impact on commuters. From the Minister's perspective, there is a kind of a hands-off approach to public transport in Dublin in particular, and that is leaving it to the NTA. That approach is not working. I contrast that with the issues during the summer at the Dublin Airport Authority, which the Minister of State herself worked on. That political pressure resolved the issues. Between the NTA and the Department, pressure needs to be applied to ensure we do not wait until Christmas. People have jobs to get to between now and Christmas and they need to get there on time and to have a reliable bus service. It is very important that this is done, and done quickly. Furthermore, if the issues continue in regard to Go-Ahead, I and Fianna Fáil colleagues like Deputy McAuliffe will be back again. People need safe, efficient, high-quality bus transport.

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