John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Further to Senator Moynihan’s comments on HAP tenants in situ, we have a window of opportunity in that space. To be clear, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has instructed local authorities to purchase properties where there are HAP tenants in situ. In fact, at a meeting of the joint committee yesterday, Cork City Council said it has 50 such applications under consideration and Galway City Council indicated that it has 36. If we multiplied that out across our local authorities and if we can get those properties in place over the next number of months, it would go a long way towards helping with the challenges we face. One thing I would like to reference today is the positive news on the public service obligation, PSO, route to replace the Suirway bus service in Waterford that Brian Lynch and his family have operated since 1899. Unfortunately, the company is now going out of business, but on a positive note, Bus Éireann and Local Link will be taking over that service from 1 November. There will not be a loss of service for communities in Dunmore East, Kilmeaden and Portlaw. There will even be an expansion of that service into Carrick-on-Suir, Fiddown and Piltown, which will mean those areas will be connected to University Hospital Waterford for the first time. Obviously, there will be additional services in that capacity from Dunmore East. There is a silver lining to the unfortunate news that the Suirway bus company has gone out of business. It is very heartening news for the communities in those areas that there will be no loss of service from 1 November onwards.