Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When it came to me, it told me the state of affairs at the time. It was a work in progress. I did not intervene. It was going to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and the National Transport Authority, NTA, with that. I did not intervene in any way with its plans. I did not express approval or disapproval. If the Deputy thinks it is the beginning of some sort of trend, it absolutely is not. I have not expressed a view on that and as far as I am concerned, the operation of the subsidiaries is a matter for itself. I am the shareholder and the Minister but I do not interfere with its operations. I deeply regret the fact that it is in such difficulties but this is a kind of stand alone body and it is up to it to make proposals as to how it will get it out of its problems.

We have spent approximately €75 million over the last few years on accessibility. All new infrastructure is accessible, 100% of Dublin Bus is accessible. I am absolutely committed to this and I am working on accessibility. I told the committee at our last meeting that I have made a special effort in the Estimates negotiations to ensure that accessibility is recognised in a tangible way.

Deputy Barry asked where the money would come from for Dublin Bus. At the risk of repeating myself, I said all along that we would not provide the funds for that and it was made absolutely clear to the management of Dublin Bus that we would not provide some sort of a back-up and that it had to negotiate on its own. It did that and I have had absolutely no communication with it about funding. I welcome but have no comment to make on the deal since then. I do not want to say anything that would in any way prejudice the ballot. We stand in exactly the same place as we did before on that but we welcome the fact that the two sides got together. I think I have answered the questions about Bus Éireann.

I would love to embark on a big capital programme-----