Finding the right route for the future of bus services

Revitalising small towns takes many things: A bus or rail service is one of them, writes Gerard Howlin.

At 11.15am today Ray Hernan, the acting chief executive of Bus Éireann, will appear before the Oireachtas transport committee to tell of a public company apparently facing bankruptcy and a deficit reported to be in the region of €9m.

That projection has risen exponentially over recent months. At stake, besides the company, is the essential purpose it was established to serve, namely bus transport outside of Dublin.