Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Having listened to responses from the NTA and Bus Éireann on the question about Bus Éireann, who guarantees a minimum level of service, given that it is provided on a commercial basis and one cannot refuse if villages are bypassed because of the commercial arguments that are made? Where is the guarantee for a public transport service in that context? I would have though the PSO levy was precisely to ensure that was the case.

In relation to Irish Rail, I am very pleased to hear that DART underground is still very much on the plans. I know that the railway order was set aside last year, which was a huge disappointment. The capital plan is coming next year. Is Irish Rail almost ready at this point to vary what was originally in that railway order? I presume it will be in time for the capital plan next year. Will it vary by much? One thing in which I am interested is the proposal to move the DART on to the Maynooth line. What timeline is Irish Rail working to on that? One issue for the whole west Dublin area on that particular rail line is that peak time capacity is very tight. For example, I have been looking for additional rolling stock for this service, but there does not appear to be. There is a demand for the service but the ability to deliver the service obviously is inhibited by the availability of rolling stock. That would obviously lengthen the trains but as the platforms were extended some years ago, the length of the platform should not be an issue.

In regard to the NTA, we have heard about the growth in the use of public transport. There also is an increase in the numbers commuting generally. One would expect to see public transport improving as the economy improves. How would the NTA measure success in terms of the modal shift? Is that part of the remit of the NTA, given that additional services must be provided if new communities are developed? I do not see where such amendments are made in any serious way. In my own area, for example, there is a demand for but no bus service between Celbridge and Leixlip, two fairly big towns with good employment in Leixlip. That has been requested for many years and would seem like an obvious demand that is not met. How does one meet the demand for service?

Is that a negotiation between the National Transport Authority and organisations such as Dublin Bus? Who makes the decision to do that? There certainly is a public demand for it, but that demand has not been met.

Some €2 million in profit was taken from the Dublin Bus balance sheet and transferred to Bus Éireann. How can fares be reduced? Companies will continue to demand fare increases if there is no other option for bringing in revenue. How can that be done if a company is not allowed to make a profit and reinvest in itself? I do not understand how a company can make a profit only for it to be returned.