Minister for Transport and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said that there will be no shortage in financial support during the Covid-19 crisis into next year for public transport.
Yesterday, Bus Éireann announced the services between Dublin and Galway, Limerick and Cork will end when the emergency supports for the routes expire, which is expected to happen early next year.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr Ryan said that Bus Eireann's airport transport has been largely reduced following the crisis and it is a commercial decision to redeploy service to areas of urban growth including Louth and Meath.
He said that Bus Éireann's board had made the decision to manage resources by pulling out of four routes and consolidating 14 routes.
He said that the company is committed to expanding and has plans to introduce new services in Galway, Limerick, Cork, Navan and parts of Meath as well as to hire more drivers.
Mr Ryan said that it is a company decision and is "up to them to manage where they see demand" and use their resources where they think best.
He said that if there are areas or towns that do miss out, the National Transport Authority will look at it and make sure "nowhere is left behind".
He said other operators are on the routes they have pulled out of and the Government support for Bus Éireann and other public transport operators will not preclude it supporting other services who need licenses.
Green Party colleague and Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman has said he is concerned about the loss of connectivity between Dublin and other cities.
He said the Government needs to look at what support it can provide to the company.
