John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that the Acting Leader is filling in today. A couple of weeks ago, I requested the scheduling of a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, on national aviation policy. I would appreciate if the Acting Leader could follow up on this. In the context of transport, there are a number of transport matters which we are all - I am sure it is not just me - grappling with. They include getting responses from the National Transport Authority, NTA, about bus routes and from Bus Éireann regarding school transport issues. While it is great to be able to acknowledge emails, the important thing is the follow-up, which we are simply not getting. I have highlighted to the NTA issues with bus routes in Waterford city. I have received an acknowledgement but no actual response. I have had the same experience with the issue of school transport. I sent an email to Bus Éireann which was acknowledged but, again, there was no response. This cannot be allowed to continue over the next months as more and more queries come in. It is great that we are expanding public transport offerings but with that, difficulties and challenges arise and certain cases end up with public representatives. We need to be able to give answers to the public. It is simply unacceptable that we are not getting that service from both organisations.

Yesterday, issues regarding licences for tractors were highlighted. Some people have licences that cover more than solely agricultural use. In the construction sector, people now have to have a different licence type. This is causing serious concern in the sector. The changes seem to have been made unilaterally. We need to follow up on this issue with the Departments of Transport and Housing, Local Government and Heritage.