Vol. 527 No. 1
25 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the progress that has been made with regard to the introduction of competition in the provision of public transport in the Dublin area; and if she will specifically allude to the operation of Luas, the procurement and operation of the proposed metro and the break up of CIE prior to the introduction of competition in the bus sector. [27949/00]
In early September I published a Government consultative paper, A New Institutional and Regulatory Framework for Public Transport. This document set out proposals for institutional and regulatory reform and invited public comment on them. These proposals have been generally welcomed by respondents to the public consultation. I have also consulted the social partners on the proposals through the public transport partnership forum.
In the meantime my Department is proceeding with the wide range of detailed background work required to flesh out the framework set out in the consultation paper. The public transport area of my Department has been restructured and an additional assistant secretary and staff have been assigned. My Department is also working within the current regulatory regime to increase private participation in the expansion of bus services in the greater Dublin area.
In July, 11 additional licences were announced for the greater Dublin area and the Minister of State and I have developed and revised more liberal guidelines for the licensing of bus services in the greater Dublin area. Subject to consultation with the public transport partnership forum and the Attorney General, I hope to announce a licensing round under these revised guidelines shortly.
My Department has engaged consultants to design and conduct a competition for the selection of an operator for Luas lines A, B and C. The consultants recently submitted their report to the Department with recommendations on how the competition should be structured and conducted. We hope the operator will be selected by October 2001 when the first trams for the three lines will be delivered.
My Department recently circulated draft heads of a Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Bill which will establish a new State agency with responsibility for the procurement of rail based public transport infrastructure projects, including the metro, on a public/private partnership basis. Prior to the establishment of this agency, the light rail project office has been given the task of beginning preliminary planning for the metro.
In view of the documents on the future regulatory framework and the previous suggestion that there should be competition in the greater Dublin area only after the privatisation of Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, has the Minister changed her mind? Does she still regard that as the best way forward, particularly in view of the case yesterday involving Bus Éireann? It did not have enough buses to provide a service between Dublin and Galway but it hired extra buses and offered a free service to the public to force a private competitor off the route.
I am surprised the Minister contested the case. How can she stand over such an action which is completely against the public interest? It is a totally blatant abuse of power by a monopoly operator. Would this type of behaviour on the part of Bus Éireann not give her pause for thought about proceeding with a situation where there may be two giants competing against each other in the future? Does the Minister agree it would be better to allow real competition to grow and to allow smaller competitors into the market? They could establish themselves and grow and provide real competition for the public.
I do not intend to talk about the court case. Regarding competition, 11 additional licences are now available and there will be much wider licensing within the next two months, subject to the agreement of the Attorney General and the forum next week. This is in line with the 1932 guidelines. The 1932 Act needs to be changed, but we must work under it until it is amended.
I mentioned the rail safety Bill and the legislation regarding the railway infrastructure. The next step is to establish a regulatory authority which will take over the issuing of new licences from the Minister and the Department. The legislation is almost finalised. It is obvious that other methods of transport inadvertently suffered because they did not have a firm legislative base. Therefore, I intend to introduce legislation even if in some cases it appears to be slow in coming.
Regarding the Luas, I welcome the fact that a private operator is being sought. The Arthur Andersen report recommended such a move well ahead of the opening of Luas.
A question please, Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that the timetable for the opening of the limited Luas that is going ahead has been disrupted because the Dundrum by-pass in my constituency has not been funded by the Department of the Environment and Local Government? The foundations of the bridge for Luas are part of that proposed new road. Until it is built and opened, the bridge cannot be put in place.
Please, Deputy Mitchell. I would like to give the Minister 20 seconds to reply. If the Deputy continues with a Second Stage speech, I will not be able to give the Minister that time.
Will the Minister speak to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government about this matter which has many implications, primarily for Luas?
I am sure the Deputy will speak to the Minister, but I will also speak to him. The Deputy mentioned a limited Luas. However, there will be three lines. The Deputy is aware that consultation will begin shortly on the old Cherrywood part of it.
Yes.
This is welcome.
There are two lines.
Regarding the bridge on the road the Deputy mentioned, I will mention it to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government.
I thank the Minister.
