I propose to take Questions Nos. 135, 143 and 154 together.
I have been engaged in ongoing dialogue with the various stake holders in relation to my proposals since I made a statement to the Public Transport Partnership Forum on 7 November 2002. I have met the boards of CIE and its three operating subsidiaries and I have had a series of discussions with the trade unions. I intend to continue that dialogue, with the objective of seeking an agreed approach to the reform programme based on the principles set out in my November statement. I have also indicated that I intend that the detailed preparatory work on implementation will proceed in parallel.
The initial meeting of the restructuring implementation group, which has been established to oversee the process of restructuring CIE as three independent companies, was held on 20 February 2003. The group consists of representatives of the CIE holding company, the three operating companies – Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann – my Department and the Department of Finance. I invited the trade unions to submit a short paper to the implementation group, identifying their principal concerns about the restructuring of CIE, but they have not yet made a submission. As part of the ongoing dia logue with stake holders, it was agreed at a meeting with the CIE trade unions on 4 February that there would be bilateral discussions between my Department and the trade unions to explore the reform of the bus market in the greater Dublin area. Three meetings have taken place since that date and the objective is to conclude these discussions by the end of March. My officials have met the management of Dublin Bus in this regard twice and I did so on one occasion.