Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2004
46 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport if it is his intention to introduce bus competition, given that Dublin Bus does not have sufficient capacity to meet demand for bus services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32404/04]
View answerI understand the management of Dublin Bus is examining ways of maximising the utilisation of the existing bus fleet in light of the significant investment made to date under the national development plan and the ongoing changes in demand patterns in Dublin. It would clearly be premature to make any decisions on investment in additional capacity until my Department is satisfied that existing resources are being utilised in the most efficient and effective manner.
I am continuing to review the work undertaken by my Department on the reform of the bus market. I have also had a number of useful meetings with key stakeholders, such as the CIE unions and the management of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. I welcome the consensus shown by those I have met to date that both State-owned and private bus companies have a valuable role to play in delivering the future public transport needs of Dublin.
In this context, I have asked the management of Dublin Bus and other stakeholders to submit their views on how best to give effect to Government policy in this area. I look forward to receiving these views. When I have considered them and completed my review of the work undertaken by my Department, I will, in a spirit of partnership, decide how best to proceed to give effect to the Government commitment to reform.
I am amazed by the Minister's answer that he is now seeking views and will make decisions in the future. All these decisions have been made. The national development plan included a commitment to provide Dublin Bus with 250 additional buses. Is the Minister aware that Dublin Bus has received no new buses since the 93 that were provided in 2000? Now we discover there will be no new buses in 2005. These buses were promised as part of the national development plan. Why is there a delay?
Why do we need further reviews? Is it because the Minister has not decided whether to introduce competition? Deputy Cullen is the third Minister to talk about reform and regulated competition. This is Aer Lingus all over again. We have neither competition nor a properly resourced state system. We must have one or the other.
There is no prospect of relieving congestion in Dublin from any source other than the bus service. God knows if any of us will live to see the metro. New services will not be provided unless they are extra bus services. When will we have a decision? How many more reviews and Ministers will we go through before we see additional buses? What has happened to the promises made in the national development plan?
I do not agree with Deputy Mitchell. Perhaps she has misinterpreted what I said. There is already competition. The Luas has brought competition to Dublin Bus on certain routes. There is competition from DART and also from other new services. I have had good discussions with the participants and I am pleased that all sides agree with me that the commitment to market opening in the programme for Government must become a reality. Everyone accepts that the future transport needs of Dublin can be provided by a combination of public and private operators.
I want to make sure we get the best outcome for the customer. The customer wants, needs and demands the best service that can be put in place, irrespective of who delivers it. I am engaged in providing that at present. In that process, the issues of rolling stock and new buses for Dublin Bus arise. I am anxious to deal with those issues but I also want to make sure that we are getting the absolute maximum value for money from what has already been provided. I have been actively engaged on this issue for only a few weeks and I will bring it to conclusion early in the new year.
I do not doubt the Minister's good intentions. However, we have a five year envelope for investment in public transport, a national development plan and a platform for change for Dublin. All of these are now up in the air and none is being pursued as envisaged. What is the point of talking about envelopes of funding going forward when the content, the programme, the budget and the timing are all changed at the whim of every Minister who comes along?
I am not changing anything on my whim. I disagree that I have shelved any of the projects to which Deputy Mitchell referred. I have not. I want to move them on and have decisions taken on them. However, I am conscious of the process and of understanding what outcome we can derive from each project. I am not going to do something for the sake of some perceived ideological outcome. I want an outcome which delivers real benefit to public transport in Dublin. That is at the core of what I am saying.
The discussions I have had with management and unions have been very good. There is an all round acceptance of market opening. I want to see what some particular aspects of market opening will deliver. When we go down this road it is important that we can clearly demonstrate to the paying customer who wants to use public transport that this is an enhancement of the public transport service and that everyone is a winner as a result. My efforts are focused on the customer.
