Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 June 2014
214. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the version of the report into corruption in Bus Éireann's running of school transport is the same version that was given to An Garda Síochána. [24210/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra215. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) who highlighted corruption in 2012 and who is named over 20 times in the report into corruption was interviewed by Bus Éireann in relation to the completion of the report investigating corruption in Bus Éireann that has been passed on to An Garda Síochána by the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. [24211/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra216. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of different versions of the report written by Bus Éireann investigating corruption in school transport that exist; and if he will confirm that the version on the Bus Éireann website has been altered significantly and is not in fact a true and accurate copy of the original report. [24212/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 214 to 216, inclusive, together.
Bus Éireann has advised that the Company completed the report entitled 'Report into Allegations of Misconduct of Bus Éireann Employees with respect to the Operation of the School Transport Scheme' on April 28 last. This report was then submitted to me, Minister Varadkar and Minister Kelly, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Chairpersons of the Public Accounts and Transport and Communications Committees. The Transport and Communications Committee, having taken legal advice, took the decision to forward various documents from Bus Éireann, including this report, to the appropriate authority for such issues, namely an Garda Síochána.
The individual named in the details supplied is not an employee of Bus Éireann nor a contracted private operator. Bus Éireann has advised that this individual was therefore not interviewed as part of their investigation.
The Company and I have repeatedly called on any party with evidence of wrongdoing to furnish any evidence in their possession to the appropriate authority for investigation, namely an Garda Síochána.
Given that the report was being published on the company website, the Company considered it necessary to protect the identities of individual employees and contracted private operators. Bus Éireann has acknowledged that an earlier draft version of the report was mistakenly used to complete this work, which was then published on the Company website. This error has since been rectified and the correct version is now available on the website.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that there are two almost identical versions of the report in existence, one given to the Ministers and Committees and the slightly amended version on the Bus Éireann website protecting the identities of individual employees and contracted private operators.
