Bus Eireann: no plans to put staff in Ennis station

BUS Éireann has confirmed there are no current plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station.

The national transport company was responding to a Dáil Question from Independent TD Michael McNamara.

The lack of staff at the station had also been raised recently by Councillor Mary Howard who had expressed fear that the station could become a “hotspot of anti-social behaviour”.

“It can be a scary place and we want to ensure that we don’t have those issues in Ennis.”

Deputy McNamara had asked the Minister for Transport his plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station “given the very high number of staycations around the county and the lack of services available to them at Ennis bus station.”

The Department of Transport referred the question to Bus Éireann which responded, “There are no current plans to allocate staff to the station.

“Bus Éireann, is currently working on a nationwide upgrade to all our information displays in stations including Ennis, funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

“Customers in Ennis can purchase tickets from the automatic ticket machine situated in the bus station and from the driver on board the bus.

“Bus Éireann encourages customers to use Leap Cards, where they can avail of up to 31% reduction on cash fares, automatic ticket machines and online ticket purchase to minimise the use of cash.

“Tickets can also be purchased at www.buseireann.ie. We also have information on our website, on our social media channels and we have a customer helpline – 1850 836 611 or customers can email customercare@buseireann.ie which is serviced 24 hours a day.

At an Ennis MD meeting, Councillor Howard urged that Bus Éireann and Irish Rail be invited to a meeting of the Council to answer to concerns that have been raised about the condition of Ennis’ bus and train station.

“It’s a profitable station, over 200,000 passengers used it prior to Covid and there is no personnel there, it’s all machines. It’s important that they come here and take ownership,” she said.

She also observed that Ennis Tidy Towns group is “taking bags of rubbish out every week from there”.

“There are a whole load of issues that need to be dealt with. I want Bus Éireann and Iarnrod Éireann to stand up to the plate and take responsibility for the station and be proud of it.”