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

I agree with the Deputy about the benefits for Cork in terms of getting a really good bus service. This is challenging because it requires giving road space and priority for buses at junctions. I know there is a lot of concern in Cork, particularly around whether any trees or front gardens are affected. That became clear during the consultation process. The experience of going through a similar process in Dublin may steer us in the direction of giving even stronger priority for buses within the existing road network as a way of meeting the desire to improve bus services without affecting the local environment. I hope the Deputy and other parties and representatives will engage. We need to do it quickly.

I do not agree on the idea that it would be a free service. We need the funding for the additional services that are going to be provided. The issue of contracting is not being decided in this consultation process. There is a European regulation from 2007 and a directive from 2004 which mean the NTA is obliged to introduce competitive tendering for public service obligation, PSO, contract services. How exactly that is done is a matter that the NTA has to consider. There are various examples, and the Deputy cites Dublin as one, of recent tendered services. Bus Éireann provides the service in Waterford as a single supplier. There are different options in terms of how this can be delivered.

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