Brendan Ryan (Labour)

We will not be supporting this amendment. Section 10(1)(a) is a very important element of the Bill and whilst we might very well support the Bill, if it were to be deleted we might find we could not support it. Section 10(1)(a) states "having regard to the needs of consumers and any existing public bus passenger services on or in the vicinity of the route". We are not looking for a free-for-all. We are looking for a regulated market. With reference to where we have come from, we have PSO obligations for various routes. Within that there are loss-making and profit-making routes, or a combination of both. In some cases some existing operators are getting by because there is a profitable element to their businesses as well as a PSO or an unprofitable element of a route. It is very important this is considered in the issuing of licences. We will not support this amendment and I ask the Minister not to accept it.