Under Transport 21, the government has recently agreed to provide the company with an additional 160 buses. But Bus �ireann say that if the government agrees to provide the full 366 requested, the traffic congestion problem in Ireland could be seriously addressed.

"In the Greater Dublin Area, two million car journeys could be displaced each year, one million in Cork and Galway and three-quarters of a million in Limerick and Galway", said company spokeswoman Erica Roseingrave.

"If we want to really tempt people out of their cars and onto our buses, we have to improve our frequency routes.

The knock-on effect for everyone living in the country would be the significant free-up of road space and a massive cut in carbon emissions, " Roseingrave said.

All new buses the company is purchasing are 5% bio-fuel compatible.

A "second Busaras" is also being planned for the docklands area of Dublin, which will facilitate the significant expansion in bus services for commuters.

"We are aiming to provide city-style service frequency on all major commuter routes into the capital, with buses running as regularly as every 12 minutes throughout the day, meaning customers would no longer require timetables. Ultimately, we want to provide people with a better quality of life by saving them hours each week travelling in their cars and helping them make huge financial savings simply by taking the bus, " Roseingrave added.