Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Written Answers. - Public Transport.

Denis Naughten

Question:

630 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport his plans to abolish the CIE holding company; the costs envisaged in such a decision; the changes he intends to make to the current Transport Acts to facilitate bus competition; the timescale envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15861/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

In my statement to the public transport partnership forum in November 2002, I set out my proposals to dissolve CIE and establish Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann as independent commercial State companies. At present the focus is on the detailed preparatory work required for the restructuring which is being overseen by a restructuring implementation group which I have established. Pending the completion of all the detailed preparatory work, it is not possible for me to put an exact cost on the restructuring of CIE. This will depend on how certain key issues such as debt and insurance are addressed. However, given the constraints on the Exchequer, it is my objective to implement the restructuring without imposing any significant additional cost burden on either the Exchequer or the CIE group.

Changes to the Transport Acts will be required to facilitate the introduction of competition into the bus market in the greater Dublin area and also to provide for a new market regulatory framework for bus services in the rest of the country. In particular, the Road Transport Act 1932 will have to be replaced with modern legislation as it is widely acknowledged that the Act provides an inadequate legislative basis for the continued regulation of bus services. As indicated in the Government's legislative programme, it is my objective to bring forward legislation in time to implement these proposals in 2004.

Question No. 631 answered with Question No. 623.