Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the proposed granting of a new bus licence from Knocknacarra to Eyre Square in County Galway; to whom these licences are to be granted; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there exists another service, whose services are more than adequate to cater for existing demand and whose four licences for similar routes will overlap with the proposed new service; and his views on the matter, bearing in mind that the existing service will have to shed staff in the event of the new licences being issued [37738/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is obliged to process any application received for an annual passenger licence submitted under the 1932 Act. In considering the grant or refusal of an application, under Section 11(3)(a), I must have regard to whether the service in respect of which such application is made is required in the public interest having regard to the passenger road services available to the public on or in the neighbourhood of the route of the proposed service.

With regard to an application for a passenger road service in the Galway City area, a decision has been made taking into account all existing road passenger services on or in the neighbourhood of the proposed service. The applicant has been informed of my Department's decision and been given time to accept or reject this decision. If the applicant rejects the decision, they have to be afforded the opportunity to lodge an appeal.

The details of the applicant and the application remain confidential until such time as the process has been completed.