Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress of reinstating the "handy bus" in urban areas of Letterkenny, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10752/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department issued an annual passenger licence to a bus operator in 1995 under the Road Transport Act 1932, to operate a regular bus service in and around Letterkenny town. The service was known locally as the "handy bus" and operated until 2001 when the operator did not renew the annual passenger licence and ceased operating the service.

The provision of public bus services on specific routes is a commercial and operational matter for bus operators. It is open to any private bus operator that may be interested to apply to my Department for an annual passenger licence under the Road Transport Act 1932 to operate a regular bus service on the route mentioned in the Deputy's question and my Department would look favourably on any such application. It is also open to Bus Éireann to initiate new services subject to compliance with the necessary regulatory requirement of giving advance notice to my Department and to compliance with the provisions of section 25 of the Transport Act 1958 concerning competition with licensed private operators.