Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)

What is wrong with employing someone to sell a packet of crisps or some water? This suspension of services was only supposed to be a temporary measure during Covid. As we know, passenger numbers have increased. The service is continuing without any catering. It was not meant to be the new normal. I cannot understand how the mentality is fixed in their brains that they cannot directly employ someone and make them an employee of Iarnród Éireann. I am not even talking about providing hot food but they could provide a cup of tea or a bottle of water. This surely should not be too hard to establish. It would not cost a seven-figure sum to employ people such as this on all of the services throughout the country. It is fine having it on the Dublin to Cork service, which is a two-and-a-half hour journey, and on the Belfast service, which we have used ourselves, but what about the rest of the country?

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