Gay Mitchell
Question:13 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport his plans for bus deregulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27705/03]
Written Answers. - Public Transport.
Brian O'Shea
Question:17 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the proposals contained in his statement to the public transport forum on 7 November 2003; the timetable for the legislation required to give effect to these proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27842/03]
Gerard Murphy
Question:18 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Transport his plans for a transport authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27706/03]
Olivia Mitchell
Question:45 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport his plans for bus re-regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27694/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 17, 18 and 45 together.
A high quality and efficient public transport system is essential to sustaining the economic and social progress made in Ireland in recent years. To this end this Government has in recent years increased State financial support for public transport services to historically high levels. However, as in many areas of the public sector, Exchequer investment alone is not sufficient to deliver the level and quality of public service, which the current generation of Irish people expect and rightly demand.
The regulatory framework for the bus market in Ireland dates back over 70 years to the Road Transport Act 1932. In the intervening period the environment for the provision of public transport services and the demands of those using public transport has changed significantly. The regulatory model for public transport needs to reflect a more sophisticated and effective approach, which takes full account of the economic and social changes of the past decade and provides a better framework for the years ahead. We must look for greater accountability and customer responsiveness in our public services.
It was in this context that I set out my policy objectives for public transport reform in my November 2002 statement to the public transport partnership forum and to the Oireachtas Committee on Transport in June 2003. These detailed proposals can be summarised as follows: as Minister I will continue to set the overall regulatory policy and approve the broad public transport investment strategy; within that regulatory and investment framework, an independent body will be established to procure public transport services, regulate public transport and allocate current and capital funding for specific purposes from an overall allocation provided by the Exchequer; franchising will be the primary means of procuring bus services in the greater Dublin area; the independent body will also regulate public transport fares and set and enforce quality standards for public transport services.
CIE will be dissolved and Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann, and Iarnrod Éireann will be established as independent commercial State companies with strong commercially focused boards. There are no plans to privatise any of the three CIE operating companies. Arrangements will be made to redeploy staff who work in the holding company.
Discussions on reform of the regulatory framework for public transport are currently taking place between my Department and the CIE trade unions and the management of Bus Átha Cliath and Bus Éireann. As I have indicated on a number of occasions previously, it is my intention to proceed with the necessary legislation in 2004 and technical preparatory work on this is under way in my Department.