Rural bus services
Senator Barrett seeks ministerial action to preserve rural bus services affected by CIE’s financial shortfall and notes the continuing importance of the Wexford Opera Festival.
Some time after the Houses rose in July, CIE was found to be €36 million short of meeting its expenditure targets for this year which has resulted in the loss of rural bus services in places in Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and elsewhere. Will the Leader invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, to come to the House to discuss other ways in which those bus services might be retained in rural communities?
Next week marks the 61st anniversary of the Wexford Opera Festival. Founded during the recessionary 1950s, it has become a massive international event and is of enormous value in terms of both culture and tourism. The House should extend good wishes to the festival,-----
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-----the fruit of a recession during the 1950s, which is going so strongly today.