“I was delighted on my visit to Cavan for the Virginia Show to have had the opportunity to meet with Michael and Martin Leydon and to see my work to ensure that private buses could carry free travel passengers had worked for Leydon Coaches and the community of west Cavan”. This was stated by Marian Harkin during her recent visit to Cavan.

When the Leydon’s approached the Independent MEP with the problem of refusal by the National Transport Authority to permit them or other private bus owners to carry free travel passengers even where Bus Eireann or others were not prepared to provide a service, she challenged the decision on the basis of EU anti-competitive policy.  “I could clearly see an infringement here and it took me almost a year to ensure that the European Commission’s similar view was accepted by the Irish authorities”, she said.
Meeting passengers at the bus station in Cavan, Marian Harkin said that it was most heartening to see

EU policy again working for communities and small business located in rural areas.
Michael and Martin Leydon said that without the work of the Independent MEP there had been a question as to the viability of their entire operation.  Her good work had been of great benefit to their company and for those for whom their bus service was essential to their daily lives.