The Minister will be aware the National Transport Authority, NTA, has licensed Aircoach to operate six routes connecting Dublin Airport with Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast cities. It must be acknowledged that management and staff, particularly the drivers at Aircoach, deserve great credit for keeping the service running during Covid-19. However, I have been contacted by customers who use a free travel pass and who find themselves disadvantaged as they cannot book an Aircoach ticket online. It is the only way of guaranteeing a seat on a particular service. Since passenger volumes have returned to normal, this has caused great anxiety. I am aware Irish Rail provide an online booking system for customers with the travel pass, which is very convenient. I have contacted Aircoach about this issue but have not received a reply. Will the Minister raise the issue, asking that the matter would be raised with the NTA, which is responsible for regulating, supervising and licensing the service, to ensure people with a travel pass are not disadvantaged?

I am glad the Deputy has raised this issue. Aircoach and other commercial coach operators have, as the Deputy has said, provided an important service through Covid and in ordinary times. They were expanding rapidly, as well as our public service obligation, PSO, services, and will do so again as we return from Covid. There is not an obligation on commercial operators to take travel passes, but many do and they avail of a subvention scheme in that regard. I will follow up on the details. I do not have the specifics in this case but I will ask my office to look at it and very much encourage the NTA to try to support them and make it available.