Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications

EU Transport Council Meeting Briefing: Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

10:20 am

Photo of Dessie EllisDessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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In terms of road safety, I welcome the idea of drug tests and the plans outlined by the Minister. I would like to engage with that matter but I have an issue with the reported statistics on traffic accidents. We are getting evidence that some of these accidents are suicide related but they are still being counted as traffic accidents. In some cases people deliberately drive into walls or otherwise but it is reported as a road traffic accident. Has the matter been examined a bit more? This is a European issue as much as our own. I must inquire about this matter because it has been brought to my attention by a number of people.

Funding for Dublin Bus and Irish Rail seems to have been left at the same level in the budget.

Dublin Bus, in particular, needs more resources. I have noticed in my area - this has been reported to me and I have spoken to Dublin Bus about it - a large number of buses going by full. This is not happening only in my area. A large number of people have started to use public transport.

That brings me to the public service obligation cuts. The Minister indicated that there would be no further cuts to the PSO next year. Will he clarify if that is still the case? We cannot afford any more cuts?