Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Yesterday would have been the day for me to pay tribute to our former colleague, Jimmy Harte. I have known Jimmy for many years. When he was a county councillor, my first engagement with him was when the All-Ireland fleadh was in Letterkenny and asking him to accommodate people from Clare. I have no doubt he will look for the compliment to be returned when the fleadh comes to Ennis. Jimmy was a soft-spoken gentleman from Donegal with deep conviction, a deep sense of social justice and doing what is right for ordinary people. In his short time in this House, his legacy will live on, not just in this House but in politics, following the long tradition of his father, Paddy.

An issue around transport provision arose in Clare over the summer. I have always been a great proponent of facilitating private transport operators. We have seen the dramatic success of such facilitation with the granting of a licence for low-cost fares and convenient travel to Michael O’Leary and Ryanair, which will carry over 100 million passengers this year. Similarly, Dublin Coach, founded by John O'Sullivan, a native of County Clare, is now providing cost-effective and cheap connectivity on an hourly basis from Dublin to several parts of Ireland. It is a good and positive development which means people can go to Dublin to the theatre, a show or a match in the evening and return to Clare, Kerry and other places that same evening. The problem is that there are restrictions on his licence which do not serve the customer or make sense. At certain times of the day during the morning and the evening, Dublin Coach is not allowed to pick up or drop people on Arthurs Quay in Limerick. Similarly, he cannot pick people up in Newcastle West or Abbeyfeale.