Vol. 525 No. 2
282 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the lack of investment in Dublin Bus is leading to severe cutbacks in certain services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24312/00]
It is not correct to say there is lack of investment in Bus Átha Cliath.
In 1999, capital funding of just over £28 million pounds was provided by the Exchequer and the EU for the first time for the purchase of over 150 additional buses by Bus Átha Cliath. These buses were used to enhance services, particularly those on the QBCs.
For this year, Bus Átha Cliath has already ordered 225 additional buses, all of which will be delivered over the coming weeks. One hundred are replacements for existing buses, while 125 will enable Bus Átha Cliath to increase capacity and provide more frequent services.
This investment in Bus Átha Cliath represents a major investment in bus services in the greater Dublin area and forms part of the national development plan published last October. An amount of £220 million will be spent on the development of the bus network over the life of the plan. Plans are under way to introduce new orbital, local and feeder services, as well as the enhancement of the Nitelink service.
The amount of subvention paid to Bus Átha Cliath has also been increased by nearly 50% since 1997. The amount of subvention for the past three years to Bus Átha Cliath was as follows: 1997, £7,000,000; 1998, £8,895,000; 1999, £13,244,000.
