The bus service in Glenveagh National Park is operated by a combination of permanent and seasonal National Parks and Wildlife Service Staff, using vehicles owned by my Department. There is no contract with any external service provider for such services, and therefore the matter of renewing or not renewing such a contract does not arise. My Department is always looking at ways to improve the tourism and education dimensions and visitor services at national parks and I am pleased to acknowledge that the bus service in operation at Glenveagh National Park has proven to be a success over many years.
Due to the success of the scheme, and as a result of a significant and welcome increase in coach tour bookings and a general increase in visitor numbers to Glenveagh this year, the demand for the service currently exceeds that which has been provided by the staff at Glenveagh National Park. Accordingly, my Department gave consideration to tendering for a private service operator to augment the bus service currently provided at Glenveagh at peak times, on a day-to-day basis. However, following a recent review of the position, arrangements have been agreed with the staff concerned on foot of which it is expected that there will not now be any need to engage private operators to augment the service.
