I must deal with a postponed division on amendment No. 1, in the name of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, to the motion on BusConnects. On the question, "That the amendment be made," a division was claimed. In accordance with Standing Order 70(2), that division must be taken now.
BusConnects: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Robert Troy on Wednesday, 19 September 2018:
That Dáil Éireann:
notes that:
— public bus and rail services provide an essential environmentally friendly service and their use should be promoted; and
— Dublin Bus provides a vital and necessary public service for all citizens in Dublin and its greater area and should receive investment to ensure that its services are maintained, improved and enhanced to meet the needs of a vibrant capital city;
condemns the unnecessary anxiety and anger experienced by the public in the last eight weeks since the BusConnects consultations have commenced; and
agrees that:
— the current proposals put forward by the National Transport Authority via BusConnects for culling bus routes across Dublin and its greater area be immediately reversed and re-configured so that all communities in Dublin and surrounding counties can retain access to their schools, colleges, work places, hospitals and other essential amenities, by Dublin Bus; and
— the reconfigured plan, when completed, should be put to consultation so that communities can be fully consulted on any route changes.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:
notes that:
— public bus and rail services provide an essential environmentally friendly service and their use should be promoted;
— Dublin Bus provides a vital and necessary public service for all citizens in Dublin and its greater area, and should receive investment to ensure that its services are maintained, improved and enhanced to meet the needs of a vibrant capital city; and
— as with any proposed change to public services, the necessary consultation has caused some anxiety and worry to some members of the public in the last eight weeks since the BusConnects consultations have commenced; and
agrees that:
— the current proposals put forward by the National Transport Authority via BusConnects for changing bus routes across Dublin and its greater area be reviewed in the context of all submissions received during this consultation process so that all communities in Dublin and surrounding counties see the enhanced benefits of the new BusConnects scheme; and
— the reconfigured plan, when completed, should be fully communicated to all local communities and further consultation undertaken if required.
- (Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport).
Amendment again put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 45; Níl, 77; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Bailey, Maria.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Collins, Joan.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Creed, Michael.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Daly, Jim.
- Deasy, John.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- English, Damien.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Halligan, John.
- Harris, Simon.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Moran, Kevin Boxer.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rock, Noel.
- Stanton, David.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Níl
- Adams, Gerry.
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Brassil, John.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Browne, James.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Butler, Mary.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Chambers, Lisa.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Cullinane, David.
- Curran, John.
- Daly, Clare.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
- Harty, Michael.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Martin, Catherine.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Keeffe, Kevin.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Troy, Robert.
- Wallace, Mick.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Joe McHugh and Tony McLoughlin; Níl, Deputies Michael Moynihan and John Lahart.
Amendment declared lost.
I move amendment No. 2:
To delete all words after “a vibrant capital city” and substitute the following:
further notes that:
— despite decades of underinvestment in public bus and rail services by successive Governments, and despite the workers of Bus Átha Cliath (Dublin Bus) achieving every arduous target set for them during the economic collapse, this partnership Government and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have continued with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s decision as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2013, to gradually privatise public transport services, including Bus Átha Cliath routes;
— this privatisation (sale of a public service to a private company in full or in parts) was first endorsed by Fianna Fáil ministers for transport prior to 2013, was pursued despite evidence in other jurisdictions that privatisation of bus services results in a drop in usage, consumer confidence and consumer satisfaction and ignores the public service obligation of public transport, as profit-making multi-nationals are not concerned with public service;
— a more sustainable plan would have been, and should be, to adequately fund all State-run public transport in order to ensure a first-class service in our cities and towns, run by existing semi-State companies; and
— this privatisation ideology clearly influenced the BusConnects proposals which the NTA published as a public consultative document and which blatantly ignored the varying needs of local communities; and
agrees that after the conclusion of the NTA’s public consultation process on BusConnects, revised plans should come before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport for further scrutiny, that meetings of the Committee shall take place where interest groups and community groups may be able to make submissions, both written and orally, and that the plan will not proceed should the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport decide, by vote, that it does not meet the needs of local communities.
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 33; Níl, 90; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Adams, Gerry.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Collins, Joan.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Clare.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Kenny, Gino.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Wallace, Mick.
Níl
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Bailey, Maria.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Brassil, John.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Chambers, Lisa.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Creed, Michael.
- Curran, John.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Daly, Jim.
- Deasy, John.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
- Halligan, John.
- Harris, Simon.
- Harty, Michael.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Moran, Kevin Boxer.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Keeffe, Kevin.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Rock, Noel.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Denise Mitchell; Níl, Deputies Michael Moynihan and John Lahart.
Amendment declared lost.
Amendment No. 3 is in the name of the Solidarity-People Before Profit Deputies.
I move amendment No. 3:
To delete all words after “Dáil Éireann” and substitute the following:
"notes that:
— public transport provides an essential service for all citizens and is central to combatting climate change and climate change policy;
— investment and funding for all three Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) companies was systematically reduced during the recession and the Public Service Obligation funding to Dublin Bus remains lower today than prior to the recession in 2008;
— Dublin Bus fleet numbers remain lower than the numbers prior to the recession, from over 1,160 in 2008 to just 1,016 in 2018;
— passenger numbers carried by Dublin Bus have now returned to pre-recession levels but they are now carried on a much reduced number of actual buses in the city;
— journey times have increased for passengers as a result of the introduction of the Luas Cross City line, as well as from increased traffic volumes;
— bus priority measures remain inadequate, with low levels of enforcement and a lack of continuous bus lanes on major routes into the city;
— in comparison to other European cities, funding of bus services in Dublin remains well below the European norm;
— numerous fare increases have left the city with an expensive bus service in part to compensate for the failure of this Government and past Governments to adequately invest in the network;
— the National Transport Authority (NTA) was set up by a previous Fianna Fáil administration with a specific remit to introduce competition to the bus market;
— the NTA has failed to address underfunding of public transport or increased journey times, or the lack of bus lane infrastructure, during its existence; and
— the NTA has instead been preoccupied with schemes to introduce competition to both the city and country bus services which has only facilitated the growth of private forprofit companies to the detriment of the existing State companies, and speeded up a race to the bottom in wages and conditions in the industry;
therefore condemns attempts by the NTA under the BusConnects plan to lay the blame for these failures solely on the existing network design;
further condemns threats to remove existing services used by the public and especially deplores attempts to remove 10 per cent of existing direct services into the city; and
agrees that–
— measures in BusConnects that seek the withdrawal of any existing service should be stopped;
— other measures contained in BusConnects, including the proposals for numerous orbital routes, bus priority measures, dedicated bus lanes, dedicated cycle lanes, and transferable tickets across public transport, should proceed immediately; and
— all proposed changes to existing services should be done in consultation with the communities and areas affected."
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 36; Níl, 83; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Adams, Gerry.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Collins, Joan.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cullinane, David.
- Daly, Clare.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Wallace, Mick.
Níl
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Bailey, Maria.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Brassil, John.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Chambers, Lisa.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Curran, John.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Daly, Jim.
- Deasy, John.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
- Halligan, John.
- Harris, Simon.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- O'Keeffe, Kevin.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Rock, Noel.
- Ryan, Eamon.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Stanton, David.
- Troy, Robert.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Bríd Smith and Richard Boyd Barrett; Níl, Deputies Michael Moynihan and John Lahart.
Amendment declared lost.
Question put: "That the motion be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 79; Níl, 40; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Adams, Gerry.
- Aylward, Bobby.
- Barry, Mick.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Brassil, John.
- Breathnach, Declan.
- Broughan, Thomas P.
- Browne, James.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Butler, Mary.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Casey, Pat.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Chambers, Lisa.
- Collins, Joan.
- Collins, Michael.
- Collins, Niall.
- Connolly, Catherine.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cowen, Barry.
- Cullinane, David.
- Curran, John.
- Daly, Clare.
- Donnelly, Stephen S.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Durkan, Bernard J.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrell, Alan.
- Ferris, Martin.
- Fitzmaurice, Michael.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Funchion, Kathleen.
- Gallagher, Pat The Cope.
- Haughey, Seán.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Howlin, Brendan.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Gino.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- MacSharry, Marc.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGrath, Michael.
- McGuinness, John.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Munster, Imelda.
- Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
- Murphy, Catherine.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Keeffe, Kevin.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Frank.
- O'Sullivan, Jan.
- O'Sullivan, Maureen.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
- Ó Cuív, Éamon.
- Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Penrose, Willie.
- Pringle, Thomas.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Rabbitte, Anne.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Shortall, Róisín.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smith, Bríd.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Troy, Robert.
- Wallace, Mick.
Níl
- Bailey, Maria.
- Barrett, Seán.
- Breen, Pat.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Byrne, Catherine.
- Canney, Seán.
- Cannon, Ciarán.
- Carey, Joe.
- Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
- Coveney, Simon.
- D'Arcy, Michael.
- Daly, Jim.
- Deasy, John.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Doyle, Andrew.
- Fitzgerald, Frances.
- Fitzpatrick, Peter.
- Halligan, John.
- Harris, Simon.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Humphreys, Heather.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Madigan, Josepha.
- Martin, Catherine.
- McHugh, Joe.
- McLoughlin, Tony.
- Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
- Murphy, Dara.
- Naughten, Denis.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Tom.
- Noonan, Michael.
- O'Connell, Kate.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Dowd, Fergus.
- Phelan, John Paul.
- Rock, Noel.
- Stanton, David.
- Zappone, Katherine.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Michael Moynihan and John Lahart; Níl, Deputies Joe McHugh and Tony McLoughlin.
Question declared carried.
Sitting suspended at 1.45 p.m. and resumed at 2.25 p.m.