Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason an application for a licence for a bus service (details supplied) was not granted; the further reason the licence was granted to a different provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22692/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department made an offer in January 2009 for the grant of a licence in respect of the bus service to which the Deputy refers, which sought to operate between Dalkey and Dublin Airport. That service is known as "The Patton Flyer". That offer did not include certain of the stops sought by the applicants in respect of their proposed service, as these stops were already being served by a previously licensed bus service being operated by Aircoach that connects the locations in question with Dublin Airport.

The Patton Flyer operators lodged an appeal in February 2009 against the terms of the offer made by my Department and also sought to add additional stops to the proposed service. The appeal was considered and a licence offer was made in May 2009, which again excluded those stops which conflicted with the licensed Aircoach service.

The Patton Flyer operators wrote to the Department on 19 June 2009 rejecting the licence offer.

When the Patton Flyer operators rejected the licence offer the Department moved, in accordance with licensing guidelines, to consider the next application it had on hand, from Aircoach, for a Dalkey-Dublin Airport service.

A new application was submitted in relation to the Patton Flyer service in December 2009, which is currently, in accordance with licensing guidelines, under consideration in my Department.