Denis Naughten
Question:248 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the reason the Steer Davies Gleave report was removed from his Department's website 40 minutes after its publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2834/03]
Written Answers. - Consultancy Services.
The Steer Davies Gleave report was posted on my Department's website in anticipation that it would be published on the same day as my statement to the public transport partnership forum on public transport reform. However, I subsequently decided to publish it the following week.
I should also mention that at that time my Department's website was under construction. As a result of this, problems were experienced in posting the Steer Davies Gleave report on it. These problems meant that the report could not be accessed or was only intermittently accessible for some hours. Those technical difficulties were resolved and the report is now accessible, in full, on the website. In the interim, copies of the report were available on request from my Department, both in hard copy and by e-mail.
Denis Naughten
Question:249 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the reason the Steer Davies Gleave report conclusions are at variance with its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2835/03]
The terms of reference for the study on the regulation of the bus market outside Dublin required the consultants to produce a detailed report and a short public consultation document. Steer Davies Gleave, the consultants engaged by my Department to conduct the study, drafted both documents as required under the terms of reference and are fully responsible for their content. I have published the report and the consultation document as presented to me by the consultants.
Denis Naughten
Question:250 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport his plans to implement the proposals contained in the Steer Davies Gleave report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2836/03]
Denis Naughten
Question:251 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the key benefits to the consumer of implementing the Steer Davies Gleave report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2837/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.
I published the report in question on 14 November 2002 as it was presented to me by Steer Davies Gleave and invited views on it from interested parties. On publication I said that neither I nor the Government had taken any view on the content of the report and that I was publishing it without commitment. I will give detailed consideration to the recommendations put forward in the report and to the submissions from interested parties before presenting my proposals for regulation of the bus market outside Dublin.
I refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 347 of 4 February 2003 in relation to the objectives of my overall proposals on reform in public transport.
Question No. 252 answered with Question No. 101.