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

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding with regard to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally rests with the National Transport Authority, NTA, including the management of the public service obligation, PSO, programme. Bus Éireann operates several PSO routes along the M3 motorway corridor as part of its direct award contracts with the NTA. These contracts set out the level of service Bus Éireann provides on the route, including the schedule, frequency, fleet, etc., while the fares are determined by the NTA in its capacity as fare regulator.

In recent months, Bus Éireann has undertaken a performance review process on all of its public service obligation routes that operate along the M3 corridor, including the 109 and 109x Dublin to Cavan via Kells service. The performance review also examined route No. 111 serving Athboy to Dublin; route No. 111a serving Cavan to Delvin via Granard; route No. 111x serving Dublin to Clonmellon; and route Nx serving Navan to Dublin. While Bus Éireann has advised that there are no plans at present to implement a new or direct service between counties Cavan and Dublin, on foot of the performance review, the company intends to introduce revised timetables from 27 October, which will better meet the needs of passengers using these services by reducing capacity issues and improving service reliability on the routes.

Bus Éireann will continue to monitor customer travel patterns along the M3 corridor after the timetable changes are implemented at the end of October and if service issues continue, Bus Éireann, in conjunction with the NTA, will examine what additional interventions could be put in place to improve services for the public.

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