Mr. Ultan Courtney:

I thank the Chairman. It is a great honour to be nominated for reappointment as chairman to the board of Dublin Bus by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I thank the Chairman and the members of the committee for the invitation to speak to them today. I will go straight to the key issues as we have only a short amount of time. My personal circumstances are outlined in the statement provided.

It would be remiss of me as chair not to acknowledge the wider context within which we now live. Dublin Bus, like all businesses, operates today in a world dominated by Covid-19. The pandemic has revealed how valuable it is for companies to have operational expertise, plan for the long term and recognise certain risks before they arise.

At Dublin Bus we have long embraced this approach and the effectiveness of this has been seen in our ability to react quickly and effectively to the pandemic. In that sense we are very fortunate as a business because even at times like this our mission and our purpose is very clear. It is keeping our services running and supporting others in doing their vital front-line jobs. Many long-standing customers give up their seats to allow front-line workers get to work safely and I would like to thank them today. We look forward to shortly welcoming back all our customers to our services.

From providing 45 million essential journeys from March 2020 to year end to delivering innovative solutions such as our free shuttle service for Mater hospital employees, Dublin Bus as a public transport company has shown its flexibility and resilience in the face of this unprecedented challenge. This proactive approach has been underpinned by a culture of safety, which has ensured that our buses remain safe for our customers making essential journeys and our 3,500 employees.

As chairman, I would like to put on record my thanks for the dedication, support and professionalism of our employees, trade unions, the National Transport Authority and the Government, without which we would not be in a position to provide continuous service for essential workers and all our customers through every phase of this pandemic.

With regard to sustainability for the long term, the relationship between good public transport and a successful economy is mutual and necessary. Today, Ireland has one of the most open economies in the world, meaning if we are to get a headstart on the post-pandemic economic recovery we need to begin the work of building a world class, zero-carbon public transport system now.

The pandemic has offered us a glimpse of what is possible for our city with less congested roads providing faster, more reliable and sustainable journeys for our customers. We do, however, risk a return to the unsustainable city hampered by congestion if we do not prioritise public transport.

At the heart of prioritising public transport, and delivering a more sustainable Dublin, is the delivery of several major transport projects. Of particular interest and importance to Dublin Bus is the €2 billion BusConnects project, as noted in the National Development Plan 2018 – 2027, and the recently published Climate Action Plan 2021. As chairman of Dublin Bus, I am delighted that the company is assisting the NTA and the State with the delivery of some key elements of this project.

With regard to investment and recovery, an efficient, functioning public transport system fuels economic growth, speeds up urban development and has the power to transform day-to-day life. The greater Dublin area, GDA, is the economic heart of the island of Ireland. Good quality urban bus public transport is a key economic enabler for the GDA. Public transport in Ireland has seen some very notable positives in recent years. Customer and service have grown steadily, reaching a high of 290 million passenger journeys in 2019, with 142 million journeys on Dublin Bus.

It is critical that we are ambitious and invest in our public transport infrastructure to ensure it meets the needs of people, supports economic renewal and meets our social and environmental aspirations, which are representative of a modern European capital city. In 2021, we will all start to benefit from this investment approach with 219 electric hybrid buses due to enter service.

The coming years will see Dublin Bus operate in an environment where economic and social development has a significant impact on the role of the bus in public transport. This means Dublin Bus, as Ireland's largest public transport provider, must be proactive in providing the city with modern, dynamic mobility solutions. I am confident of our ability to do this. Beyond that I believe continued investment in public transport will transform Dublin for the better. Dublin can be one of Europe’s most sustainable cities. It can be an example to others of how to manage growth in a balanced and sustainable way. We can live, work, play, travel and enjoy all the benefits of our community and our vibrant economy without causing harm to the environment around us. We can all do this while enhancing our quality of life if we work together for the betterment of our city, region and people. I look forward to making my contribution to the company and to the city by providing strategic support, direction, and guidance over the coming year. I look forward to answering any questions.