Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the withdrawal of the private bus service that transported passengers from the midlands towns of Moate and Clara to the larger towns of Athlone and Tullamore; and if he has considered that as the Bus Éireann route 20 Dublin to Galway service ceased in 2020, the residents of these towns have been left with no access to a bus service, either public or private. [47593/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy will be aware, while the majority of public transport in Ireland is provided by the publicly-subvented bus and rail services funded through National Transport Authority's (NTA) public service obligation (PSO) programme, the public transport system also includes non-subvented bus services provided on a commercial basis by bus and coach businesses of varying size.

I would like to advise the Deputy that the decision taken by Flagline Ltd to withdraw its commuter services from Tullamore to Athlone, are commercial decisions for the company. The Deputy will appreciate that Flagline Ltd, like all other commercial businesses, are responsible for managing its own resources in respect of its commercial services.

The NTA, which has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally by way of public transport services contracts, and for the allocation of associated funding to the relevant transport operators, will assess whether Flagline Ltd decision to withdraw their services will give rise to any loss of connectivity. The Authority will also consider whether there is a need to provide additional public service obligation services in the affected areas.

In light of the Authority's responsibility in this area I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.