asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the general dissatisfaction at the additional increased cost of bus fares arising from the uneven location of stages in Dublin City and suburbs, he will ask C.I.E. to revise the present system and arrange the fares in relation to the distance travelled, or, alternatively, if he will have the matter referred to the Prices Advisory Body for investigation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Increased Bus Fares.
The Legislature imposed on C.I.E. the task of providing "an efficient, economical, convenient and properly integrated system of public transport", with due regard to certain considerations, and of conducting their undertaking so as "to secure, as soon as may be, that, taking one year with another, the revenue of the board shall be not less than sufficient to meet the charges properly chargeable to revenue". For carrying out this task the board were empowered to "fix, demand, take and recover such charges as they may think fit".
Having regard to these statutory provisions, the full responsibility for determining the proper fare stages rests with C.I.E. and that is in accordance with the wishes of the Oireachtas as set out in the Transport Act, 1950. I cannot relieve C.I.E. of their statutory responsibility.
It is, of course, open to the Deputy to make representations direct to C.I.E. about fares or stages should she so desire.
The Minister has already established a precedent by referring the E.S.B. charges to the Prices Advisory Body. Would he not consider, in this instance, referring the matter raised in my question to the Prices Advisory Body for their consideration?
There is a very substantial difference between the two issues. I am sure the Prices Advisory Body could hardly do any other work if it had to examine every stage for which fares are charged by C.I.E. throughout the entire country.
Surely the basis of my question is to relate bus fares to distance travelled and surely that should not be a gargantuan task?
The fact of the matter is that this House has put upon C.I.E. the responsibility for fixing fares. That was the wish of the Oireachtas and I think the Board of C.I.E. should be required to discharge the obligations which this House laid upon them.
Mr. Lemass
Does not that also apply to the E.S.B.? Have they not got the same statutory obligation?
Yes.
Mr. Lemass
But they were sent to the Prices Advisory Body.
But the statute was in no way transgressed by doing that.
Mr. Lemass
Nor would it be transgressed in the case of C.I.E.
What is the purpose of sending a matter to the Prices Advisory Body which would involve examination of the amount of minutiae such as the Deputy's question suggests?
Mr. Lemass
I think the Minister's change of mind is an improvement.
The Deputy misunderstands the situation.