asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the hardships suffered by the people in winter owing to the present inadequate service of buses to and from Galway City, he will make representations for an extra service of buses between Galway City and the Connemara area during the Christmas season.

Having regard to the restricted petrol supplies, I regret that I am unable to authorise any regular additional omnibus services at the present time. Special consideration is being given, however, to areas such as Connemara, which are without alternative rail facilities and any augmented services which the Great Southern Railways Company may find it possible to operate within their petrol allocation, during the Christmas season, will be concentrated in these areas. In the case of services which are operated only on five days per week, arrangements are being made to substitute services on Thursday, 23rd inst., for those which would normally have been operated on Saturday (Christmas Day).