Bus Services
Dail Éireann — 2022-06-30
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Hildegarde Naughton (FG), Galway West

I thank the Deputy for raising this important topic. I will take this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I understand that the Deputy's matter relates to the provision of bus services on routes operated by Go-Ahead Ireland, and whether any measures can or have been taken to improve these services.
My Department has responsibility for policy and overall funding in respect of public transport. However, the Department is not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services nationally, including those public service obligation, PSO, routes currently operated by Go-Ahead Ireland. The NTA 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.
In the context of the Deputy's specific question regarding the PSO services currently operated by Go-Ahead Ireland, as the Deputy will be aware and as he alluded to, the Covid-19 health emergency has had a profound impact on the public transport sector due to the fall in passenger numbers, and the associated drop in fare revenues. To date, passenger numbers remain below pre-Covid levels and demand is currently at 80% of that experienced in 2019. This is expected to improve further in the coming months..

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-06-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:55+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-06-30