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

The issue the Deputy raises is real. There is a real problem, but not just in County Wicklow. Many other Deputies would cite similar examples involving Go-Ahead and other companies in other parts of the country. The Deputy is correct that Covid or any other factor is a satisfactory reason for services not being provided to the standard needed. There have been fines applied in recognition that there is a genuine difficulty, but we need to go further. I will meet representatives of the NTA tomorrow to consider what specific further measures we can take, because we do have to act. There are genuine difficulties over driver recruitment and a range of technical reasons, but we recognise that what is occurring is not satisfactory. We have to improve public transport so services will be delivered as contracted, which is not happening. We will address this by every means we can.

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