I would welcome the opportunity of having longer than 15 minutes to go into all the various aspects covered by my Department. I will deal with the points raised and give some indication of where we are going and the various semi-State boards under my control.
As regards the question raised by Deputies Begley and Corish on the national transport policy and this Government's answer to it, we have taken very definite steps in that direction. The Transport Consultative Commission reported to me on the first task set to them: to look into the very serious problems in the Dublin area in relation to urban transportation and the traffic chaos. There was a very quick response from the Government and we announced a decision to set up a Dublin Transportation Authority. In the interim I decided to set up a task force, which I have done, and the various Government Departments involved in this area are represented. They have held four meetings and their operational group have held two meetings. I am pressing ahead with arrangements for the introduction of four more bus priority measures. The first one has been a success and I look forward to keeping the timetable that I set the task force of the introduction of four more within one year of their being set up.
On the broader aspect of transport policy we hear the catch cry about a national transport policy. What does this mean? If I spent my time working out a big blueprint my time would be gone in my term of office and I would not have seemed to have done anything. I prefer to deal with the immediate problems and take action on them. That is a better way forward than trying to work out a blueprint. What we are doing is part and parcel of an overall transport policy.
In relation to the concern of Deputy Corish for rural areas, the Transport Consultative Commission are carrying out an in-depth study into road freight haulage. They will be reporting to me in double quick time. They carried out the other one very quickly and I have no reason to believe this one will not be as quick. I will be acting on that. There has been a significant amount of liberalisation in the road freight transport area. In 1971 all the area restrictions were removed and livestock was exempted. In 1978—this was referred to by Deputy Begley—if a man had a haulage plate he could have it six fold. When I receive the report from the commission I will be investigating that area. The policy of the Department in that area is well as known. We are going for a quality transport system more than a quantity one. We want to see the best cost-effective transport policy introduced here for the benefit of consumers, industry and everybody else.
I was asked to outline what we were doing in regard to buses for CIE. That has a bearing on the transport authority we decided to establish. We are pressing ahead with the legislation which we expect will be introduced soon. Side by side with this must come a new bus fleet for CIE. I should like to tell the House that CIE have concluded arrangements for a bus-building operation at Shannon to supply their future bus requirements. I understand that production arrangements are well in hand. It is expected that 50 new buses will be ready by the end of this year. The plan is to give CIE 200 double-decker buses for urban operations in 1981. The new factory will employ 200 people, a definite step in the right direction.
I am aware of the problems mentioned by Deputy Creed about Cork. I should like to reiterate what he said about the CIE rail service from Cork. It is an excellent service and I found it so when I travelled on it on Friday morning. With regard to the future investment policies of CIE I should like to tell the House that as soon as I am presented with the McKinsey report I will take it before the Government. We will then define the investment policy for the future. The capital allocation to CIE this year was £25.125 million, including £1.125 million for the Rosslare project. The electrification of the Howth-Bray line will make a significant contribution towards the Dublin situation. It is going ahead. Deputy Kelly questioned me before as to the stage of development and I informed him that the preliminary work on the signaling aspect was in progress. The alteration to the line is proceeding and tenders have been received for part of the electric equipment. The design work is going ahead and already 100 people are employed on the project. That figure will be increased to 280. It is expected that this work will be completed by 1983.