649. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the confusion regarding instructions supposedly being given to drivers on public transport by management to allow family groupings to sit together on buses; if his attention has been further drawn to the difficulty this is causing drivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12595/20]

The Government has been clear that continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that are to carry on. I would like to thank operators and staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times.

A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network. My Department is engaging directly with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to these measures and the NTA is coordinating the response of public transport operators.

Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.