Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

It is a requirement in law that a bus operator hold a valid road passenger transport operator's licence. It was brought to the Minister's attention in the discussions in the Chamber on Second Stage and elsewhere that it is currently not the case that an individual who has his road passenger transport operator's licence revoked automatically has his bus licence revoked. The point was made very strongly in the Chamber and elsewhere that an applicant who must demonstrate he is of sound financial standing, good repute and holds a certificate of professional competence but who, for whatever reason, has his licence revoked, ought also to have his other licence revoked. The provisions in amendment No. 1, which pertains to section 2, and amendment No. 12, which pertains to section 19, give effect to this desirable objective.