Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)

In Limerick, Local Link is operating at capacity. To improve the system, people are looking for more services. Local Link would not be in our area were it not for private operators. We would not have it otherwise. I appreciate the investment the Department is putting into Local Link, but there is no joined up thinking. It is doing one route. It should be doing a figure 8 on all links such that when one route is done it links up with one spot where the other route connects to it in order that an operator can go from one to another and travel around different parts of the county.

There have been 300 signatures from people looking for a Local Link service for Martinstown, which is J.P. McManus country. People in Bulgaden are looking for a Local Link. There are more than 300 signatures on this but we have not got the investment. We need the Department to invest more in Local Link to make sure it can happen.

There are bus routes coming from the likes of Bruff, Kilmallock and Bruree. While there are services for people there, there are not enough. People in those areas will use that transport if it is provided. It is the private operators, which we need, that are providing it. We also need to look at licensing to increase the age for drivers. It is just about investment. There are drivers in the private sector, whereas the Government sector does not seem to have them because they cut people off at the age of 70. We have plenty of capable drivers who can drive buses after the age of 70.

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