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

I agree with the Deputy. It is not acceptable for passengers to be left waiting at the side of the road for the next bus. That is deeply frustrating, and it is not good enough. We have to make sure, through the NTA, that Bus Éireann is pushed so that the services improve. There are various ways we can do that. As I said, the first key issue is with mechanics and drivers. There has been significant action in that regard. Bus Éireann has recruited some 500 drivers since last year. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has issued 1,500 worker permits and licences so that we can have people coming from outside the EU to help us meet the key skills shortage, which is in mechanics. A service may be withdrawn if the bus is not properly maintained. Investing in mechanics is the second key measure.

The third measure we need to work on as part of the wider transport strategy is to promote road space allocation so buses do not get stuck in traffic. This is one of the reasons there is such difficulty with many of the timetables. This measure involves difficult political decisions where we have to reallocate road space, which we all know is not popular in the short term. In the long run, and even in the short- to medium-term, it is the only and best way to make the best use of the drivers and mechanics we have to ensure buses are not stuck in traffic. Through that combination of measures, I believe we can address the problem.

See this speech in context