Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, we heard the news that the Airport Hopper bus service is ceasing operations. This means that people in Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown and Tallaght have no option but to get a taxi or drive to the airport. What was a €10 journey will now cost passengers €60. The 14 drivers who were employed by the Airport Hopper received an email to say their jobs had gone. They arrived at the yard and all the buses had disappeared, which is a new take on ghost buses. Privatisation of public services has failed. We have seen this with the unreliable service of Go-Ahead Ireland. That company is now tendering for new routes, despite it not being able to look after the routes it has already. This is unbelievable. Will the Government reverse its policy on privatising public transport? Will the Minister ask the NTA to take on the Airport Hopper route and employ the 14 drivers who lost their jobs yesterday?

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