Vol. 382 No. 9
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has enunciated any policy to CIE regarding the level of bus fares on the Dublin city services; if he has any proposals to reduce bus fares in the Dublin area; if he is considering any application for private bus services in the Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
12.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he has had any policy discussions with the board of CIE regarding the level of bus fares on Dublin city routes; if he has any plans for a reduction in the present fare levels; if he has made any decision regarding the use of private bus operators on any of these routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Question Nos. 10 and 12 together.
Increases in bus fare levels by Bus Átha Cliath are subject to approval by the Government and in that context discussions are held with the company as necessary.
The last bus fares increase was implemented by the company on 24 January 1988. The increases granted were lower than those sought. Bus Átha Cliath provide a large range of prepaid commuter tickets and special fares at discounts which reduce the costs for passengers. It is policy to promote the wider and increased use of public transport and to keep fares at the lowest possible levels, taking account of the costs of providing the services and the financial resources of Coras Iompair Éireann.
There are no proposals under consideration in my Department for reductions in bus fares. No doubt, the company would make such a proposal if the likely consequences for their finances were favourable.
The Road Transport Act, 1932, regulates the licensing of bus services generally, including those of the Dublin area. In the course of the recently completed review of that Act, I have taken account of the question of a greater role for the private bus industry in the provision of bus services. I am now finalising my proposals for consideration by the Government and I plan to introduce amending legislation later this year.
Pending the enactment of the new legislation, I shall continue to consider applications for road passenger licences on their merits in accordance with the Act.
Are there any licensed carriers within the Dublin area? Are there any applications before the Minister for private bus operations in the Dublin area?
I am afraid that I cannot answer the Deputy off the top of my head. I do not have that information here but I will get it for the Deputy.
That is part of the question. Why does the Minister not come in properly briefed?
I have a proper brief and I thought I gave a fairly full answer. As the Deputy knows, the basic Act is the 1932 Act. Any applications that are made will be decided upon in the light of that Act. We regard that Act as antiquated now. We have done a full survey of the Act and legislation is pending.
Would the Minister not agree that he exudes an air of complacency about the bus fares in Dublin which are barely affordable by middle class people, never mind working class people in the outer suburbs. Would the Minister give an assurance to those hard pressed people that he intends to do something about this? Would he not agree that as part of his plans for the one person operation of buses, fares were to be reduced by 20 per cent in real terms?
With regard to the latter part of the Deputy's question, the one-person bus operation has not been put in place fully. Two of the unions have accepted, the union with the vast majority of the workers and another smaller union. One union has still not acceded to the company's request. Second, I reject the idea that I am complacent about fares. As an indication of that lack of complacency on the part of myself and the Government, we refused to give the level of increased fares asked for by CIE on the most recent occasion and it was particularly with an eye to the hardship of the people who are using the bus services continually that we did just that.
Would the Minister not agree that the fare increase was in excess of the rate of inflation now running at 1.8 per cent and that every year now CIE seem to congratulate themselves on having their fare increases at less than they applied for but greater than the rate of inflation?
The fare increase was 2.5 per cent and that was the rate of inflation at that time. I am glad to say that the rate of inflation is dropping.
Is the Minister aware of the very severe hardship being experienced by people, especially those living in the outer suburbs who have to, for instance, commute to the Department of Social Welfare at enormous expense or, perhaps, to the differential rent section of Dublin Corporation about rent arrears and, in the process, pay as much as £5 in fares for themselves and their children? Is the Minister going to do anything about that.?
We are having repetition.
I am fully aware of the hardship of the people who are travelling on the services and also that this House is called upon to vote about £16 million per annum to Bus Átha Cliath to keep it going.
In respect of the exchanges that have taken place and the contemplation of the introduction of private interests to bus services in the city, has the Minister's Department carried out any feasibility studies as to the impact of such a development on the fares level? Has the Minister looked at other comparable services in England or elsewhere?
In the study of the 1932 Act the introduction of private operators into the transport system has been considered.
My question was whether the Minister considered the impact on the fares level of that type of service. Is it anticipated that fares could be kept at a lower level? Would there be any boon to the consumer?
The general implication in the questions of Deputies Mitchell and Taylor-Quinn was that they would be lower. We will wait and see.
They will not be lower as long as Deputy Wilson is Minister.
We kept them down for four years and we were not appreciated by The Workers' Party.
If we could get agreement between The Workers' Party and Fine Gael we would have no problem at all.
