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

It is true. We have a direct relationship with Bus Éireann and even though these are commercially operated services, I have met Stephen Kent, the chief executive, and the chair on numerous occasions in recent weeks at various events. It is important to keep in touch with what is a real issue, namely, the ability of the company to get drivers and mechanics. We must ensure that we can deliver on that, as well as new bus services and new buses. We must make sure that we have the very best modern fleet. I am very confident that Bus Éireann will deliver the target. We want 100% reliability.

As well as getting mechanics and drivers, one of the other pressures is based on success. In 2019, Bus Éireann had something like 89 million passengers. They were pre-Covid numbers, but it is up on that and last year I think it was 106 million. There has been a 20% growth in passenger numbers. In other jurisdictions, no one is seeing such a high increase beyond pre-Covid numbers. That is also driving demand. There is significant investment going into the company, which has 3,000 employees in total. There has been a major increase in the company's size. There has been very significant investment. One of the times I met Mr. Kent and the chair was at the major development in Limerick where we have just put in a massive new investment in a bus station and a new electrified bus fleet. I was in Cork last week where we do have real issues, similarly talking to the company. We need to improve the Cork service. Obviously, we also need to make sure that the commercial services are running efficiently, effectively and fast.

I am not aware of any problems with a particular bus. The key constraint is the availability of mechanics rather than the characteristics of any one bus. The company has flexibility and the capability of drawing in private contractors to help. To be honest, the private contractors have similar constraints with bus drivers and mechanics. It is a function of a flat-out economy. There is a need for us to engage in the recruitment of new mechanics. The company is doing that at full speed.

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