Taoiseach: We can't have city buses driving on countryside boreens
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has defended plans by Bus Éireann to cut routes saying buses can't be driving around boreens.
More than 100 services face being cut because
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Enda Kenny has told the Dáil that because Expressway services are commercial, they cannot be State-funded in any way.
He said that the reality is some services have to be cancelled.
"You want the mainline buses that are not subvented, that are not the subject of any PSO, to drive all over the boreens, as you put them, of the country," he said.
"Change is necessary, and you're not going to have mainline buses leaving the main routes from city to city and driving throughout the countryside."
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams expressed deep disappointment at the Taoiseach’s remarks.
Raising the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil today, Deputy Adams said the Government has been a disaster for rural Ireland.
“Bus Éireann’s decision to axe almost 100 routes on its Expressway service represents a huge setback for the people of rural Ireland,” he said.
“Fifteen communities are now to be left without any direct bus services. Dozens more will experience drastic cuts to vital bus links.”
“If these cuts go ahead, the major routes affected – Dublin-to-Cork via Kilkenny, Dublin-to-Waterford via Wexford, and Athlone-to-Westport will see 198 services-a-day fall to 105.
“This is a direct result of years and years of underfunding of public transport by the present and previous Government.
“The Fine Gael/Labour Government has privatised 10% of Bus Éireann routes. They are making it harder and harder for the company to provide links which are economically and socially essential to rural dwellers.”
“Bus Éireann has said very clearly that these routes need Government funding in order to survive. Farming and rural community groups have condemned the latest cuts as a further attack on rural Ireland.”
“Considering the vital social and economic benefit of linking the affected towns to major public transport routes, the Government and the Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe must, as a matter of urgency, review the latest drastic decision by Bus Éireann and take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the continuation of these bus services.”
