Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an issue regarding Bus Éireann. It has come to my attention that Bus Éireann intends to discontinue the Dublin service to Carrick-on-Suir which operates six times per day. Despite my best endeavours to contact Bus Éireann, by e-mail and by phone, I have got no response from it. However, I am reliably informed by SIPTU, one of the unions representing the workers, that it is proposed to remove this service in the first week of March.

Members will be aware that Bus Éireann is subsidised and has a public service obligation. It gets millions of euro per annum from the Government to provide exactly what is being provided to Carrick-on-Suir and other such towns, namely, a public service. This service brings people from the town not alone to Dublin but also to all of the places along the way, including Kilkenny and Carlow. It allows people who do not have their own transport to visit loved ones in hospitals, carry out business in Dublin and attend social events. It is unacceptable that Bus Éireann is doing this without any proper negotiation or any proper information being provided to public representatives in the area. There will also be, as I understand it, job losses as a result of this decision.

As Members read in the media and are informed that the number of people using transport has increased and is increasing on a daily basis, it is something of a mystery as to why this is happening. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to intervene on this issue. I also ask the Leader for his support. I understand there are also difficulties in the Leader's own city in respect of Bus Éireann and the changing of routes. Perhaps he and I could combine on this issue and sort out the problem together.