I wish to raise capacity issues concerning the 109 bus service from Cavan to Dublin. I have raised it here before and in the Dáil. I have also raised it with the National Transport Authority, NTA, and Bus Éireann, as have passengers who use the service and bus drivers who drive for the service. I refer to issues around capacity, especially at rush hour in the evening when these buses leave Dublin. There are a number of other issues but capacity is the main one. Following communications, nothing has changed. We continually hear from the NTA that it is monitoring the situation. I contend that the time for monitoring is long past as capacity issues have gone on for years. In particular, I have been contacted by one young man, Benjamin, who is a student in DCU and is on the autistic spectrum. When Benjamin stands at a bus stop on a Friday evening to get the bus home, more often than not the bus drives past and he either has to wait an hour or sometimes longer. Often that situation leads to such heightened anxiety that he goes back to his accommodation and does not wait for the bus, which means he either has to stay in Dublin for the weekend or somebody has to come to collect him.

Following advice from the Leader, I submitted a Commencement matter on this issue but the Department of Transport refused to take it. I thank the Seanad staff here and the staff of the office of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, because they tried to secure a meeting for me with Bus Éireann, which eventually responded just before Christmas to say that it would meet me in January. I responded to Bus Éireann and told it my availability but I have heard nothing back and have contacted it again. I have also made representations to the NTA, which continues to tell me it is monitoring the situation. At this stage nothing is moving forward and nobody seems to be willing to do anything about the matter. I do not mind submitting another Commencement matter if I can get an assurance from the Department of Transport that a Minister will take this matter and maybe secure that meeting so that we can actually find solutions to the problems with the bus service.