Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 May 2004
165 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Transport the number of licences granted to date to private bus operators in the State; the individual cost of these licences; and the procedures in place to ensure that the conditions of the licences are monitored and complied with. [13747/04]
View answerAccording to the departmental records, the total number of licences granted to date to private bus operators since the Transport Act 1932 came into force is 1,678. Of this total, 529 licences are currently valid.
The level of fees for a passenger licence is provided for in the Road Transport Act 1932, Regulations 1955 (S.I. No. 68/1955). A fee of €7.62 is charged for the grant of an annual continuous service licence and a fee of €5.08 for an annual seasonal service licence. Annual licences, both continuous and seasonal, are renewable each year at a cost of €2.54. For an occasional licence, a fee of €5.08 is charged where a number of occasions is involved and a fee of €0.63 applies for an occasional licence covering one occasion only.
On the ground monitoring of licensed bus services is carried out by staff of my Department periodically throughout the year to check that operators are complying with the conditions attached to their licences. In addition, at the time of application for renewal of licences, operators are required to provide evidence that the service is being operated according to the conditions of the licence, such as a published timetable, a letter from the gardaí confirming that they are operating to the licence schedule, and-or an advertisement in a local newspaper or website.
