The Sinn Fein Leader has raised the plight of a Waterford disability campaigner in the Dail.

Mary Lou McDonald says the new buses introduced by Bus Eireann in Waterford City are actually less accessible for wheelchair users that the older buses they replaced.

She says there was no engagement with disability groups in advance of introducing the fleet.

Mary Lou McDonald said “I commend the campaigning work of a young man called Karl Cretzan, whom I met earlier in the week in Waterford.

“Karl is a wheelchair user and has been to the fore in highlighting the shortfalls of this new fleet.

“On Karl’s behalf and on behalf of all of our citizens with disabilities who rely on public transport, I ask the Taoiseach what he and his Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport are going to do to rectify the inaccessibility of this new fleet of buses.”

In reply Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said “I know that the Minister has appointed several people who have disabilities to the boards of the transport companies with that particularly in mind, as he wants to make sure that their voice is heard at the boards.

“In respect of which buses Bus Éireann orders, that really is a matter for the company rather than the Government.”