Vol. 567 No. 5
361 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Transport the reason his Department has not issued the appropriate licence to a company (details supplied) proposing a new service to Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14508/03]
Private operators are required under the Road Transport Act 1932 to apply to my Department for a licence to operate a route or to amend an existing licence. All applications for new licensed services or amendments to existing licensed services are considered on an individual basis. Depending on the nature and complexity of the application, this process can take some time. Detailed analysis is required to ascertain, for example, the extent of any overlap between the proposed service and existing licensed or other public transport services. This can include similar licence applications already received.
Applications are dealt with on a first come, first served basis. Naturally, if there are pressing or exceptional circumstances this would be taken into account in determining the order in which such an application would be dealt with. In some circumstances while the preliminary work may have been completed on a particular application, a final decision cannot be made until other relevant applications received prior to it have been finalised.
In relation to the company referred to in the Deputy's question, my Department received an application on 14 April 2003 for a proposed Galway-Shannon Airport bus service. A prior application for a proposed service between Galway and Cork was received on 31 January 2003. Both these applications are currently being processed and my Department will revert to the company in due course.
