Vol. 568 No. 6
270 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the delay in granting Bus Éireann permission to operate four daily services between Galway and Shannon Airport for the summer months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16999/03]
271 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the reason Bus Éireann was refused permission in 2002 to run four daily services from Galway to Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17000/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.
On 2 May 2002 Bus Éireann notified my Department of its proposal to introduce a summer service which would operate from 2 May 2002 to 31 August 2002. This would involve four new direct services between Galway and Shannon Airport and three direct services from Shannon Airport to Galway.
On 10 June 2002 my Department informed Bus Éireann that it could proceed with the introduction of the majority of the services, but that a decision on two of the proposed services from Galway and one of the proposed services from Shannon Airport would have to be deferred as their introduction would result in a conflict with two prior bus licence applications from two private operators.
On 6 September 2002 Bus Éireann subsequently notified my Department that it wished to extend the two existing summer services to an all year round operation. On 5 June 2003, the company also notified my Department of its proposal to introduce the full planned direct summer service between Galway and Shannon Airport for 2003. My Department is processing both of these notifications and will shortly revert to the company with a decision.
