asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state with regard to the Waterford-Tramore bus service whether there has been any improvement in the financial return and the number of passengers carried during the past year as compared with the old rail service.

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the substitute bus service provided by C.I.E. I am informed by the Board that the operation of the service during the year ended 31st December, 1961, showed an operating profit; the former rail was operating at a loss at the time of closure.

The number of bus passengers carried by C.I.E. in the period 1st April-30th October, 1961, showed a small increase on the number of rail passengers carried in the same period in the preceding year.

Would the Minister tell us what the figure is?

The actual figure of C.I.E. bus passenger fares?

Yes.

It is only a very small increase, but, if the services arranged privately are added to that, the total number of people who travelled was 40,000 greater in the period April-October, 1961, than in the period April-October, 1960.

Will the Minister now say he was not justified in tearing up the line? The people who travelled on these buses had to pay more money—ninepence a head more. It was only 1/9d. rail fare out to Tramore; now it is 2/6d. on the bus.

In reply to the Deputy, I was in the area myself and I received no major criticisms of any kind in relation to the substitute services.

The Minister came down into the area——

The Deputy may put a question. He may not make a speech at this stage.

Is the Minister aware that the people he met did not represent the people of Waterford, and do not travel by bus. The members of the Waterford Chamber of Commerce do not travel by bus.

Why did the Deputy not go and meet the Minister and tell him all about it?

Deputy T. Lynch will resume his seat. The remainder of the questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.