Vol. 430 No. 2
229 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if it is proposed to introduce legislation to provide for and regulate competition in the area of passenger road transport, as was promised by his predecessor.
I am undertaking a review of proposals for the liberalisation of the bus industry prepared by my Department for my predecessors. Those proposals were formulated on the basis that the legislation currently in place, which dates back to 1932, is in need of updating. The proposals envisage the extension of competition within the passenger road transport area on a regulated, orderly and phased basis.
It is my intention to bring forward, as soon as possible, for consideration by the Government draft proposals to replace the Road Transport Act, 1932, with new provisions which would cater more effectively for the development of the bus industry and the needs of the travelling public. However, until I have completed my overall review of the situation, I cannot indicate the likely content of the legislative proposals.
