Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the members of the unions for coming forward and providing us with a comprehensive breakdown of the BusConnects proposals. As has been said, it is unfortunate that we are speaking with the unions after the NTA because we could have raised some of the unions' questions directly with it. It is important that we engage with the ongoing public consultation process. We have received an assurance that it has been extended to 28 September and that there is a possibility of a further extension, if warranted. I do not need to ask that the unions support those public consultation meetings, and indeed any consultation meetings being organised, to ensure that the wider community is fully aware and appreciates the significance of the proposed changes.

Mr. O'Leary mentioned that we alluded to post 2019 in respect of the direct award contract. That is relevant to BusConnects because it is going to be a cornerstone of who is going to deliver it. BusConnects is going to come in at the tail end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. We need to know who is going to be delivering it and rolling it out. The clear message from the NTA today is that, under existing legislation, it has the power to change that away from Dublin Bus and put it out to tender. The NTA does not consider that privatisation. I would. I refer also to whether a direct award contract can be carried on with. I suggested we revert back to that in September this year. We will be backing that up and, as a permanent committee member I will be ensuring, as will my colleagues, that it is an item on our autumn agenda.

Some valid concerns have been raised. We will be raising those we did not get an opportunity to address earlier with the NTA. The overall objective is how we can ensure there is an improvement in the service to users. We are all united in that. Dublin Bus carried 140 million passengers last year. It is the workhorse of public transport in the capital. We have to ensure we continue to provide a good service to the people using it. Some elements within this proposal will improve that service and we have to welcome that.

Where elements are going to have a negative consequence, we will need to work within the confines of the consultation period to try to eliminate those. I do not know if the witnesses were in the Visitors Gallery earlier.

I referred to the fact that the removal of the direct route could leave it open for private operators to enter the market and operate on that timeframe. I would welcome hearing the opinions of the witnesses on the matter.

Mr. Hannan alluded to the fact that I referred to branding. I did make the point that if the legislation contains the provision for just one brand, which Mr. O'Leary disputes, there is nothing that states what the brand should be. The Dublin Bus brand has been rated as highly satisfactory and Dublin Bus has said that it would not object to another operator using the brand. It makes sound economic sense that 10% of the buses would change, as opposed to changing 90% of the buses to reflect new branding.

Mr. O'Leary made a valid point about a matter that I was unaware of. He said that before a bus is ordered, a Dublin Bus committee ensures that the buses are fitted out and adapted adequately for the drivers, and rightly so. The drivers have the very responsible job of ferrying between 60 and more than 100 people to their destination and ensure that is done in a timely and safe environment. Therefore, it is only right that the drivers are comfortable in their working environment. Likewise, it would be important that disability advocates would have an opportunity to have an input into the design of buses to ensure that when new buses are ordered, they are properly adapted and fitted out to cater for people with varying levels of ability and disability. I do not just mean physical ability. Some people are visually impaired. Some people are autistic and are sensitive to the colours and textures that are used on buses. It is important that we consider these matters as well.

I have a final point to make but I cannot recall it right now. If I recall it later, I will rejoin the debate.