Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Significant Exchequer funds have been allocated to Dublin Bus under the National Development Plan — NDP. Some €349 million in operating subvention has been paid to the company over the period from 1999 to 2005, rising from €16.8 million in 1999 to €64.9 million in the current year. Under the NDP, Dublin Bus has purchased 497 new buses of which 93 are additional and 404 are replacement buses. Some 248 of these buses have been purchased with Exchequer assistance, 179 of which have had their cost met in full by the Exchequer. A further 20 buses will be purchased later this year with Exchequer assistance. In excess of €100 million in Exchequer capital funding has been provided to Dublin Bus since 2000. Included in this is €22 million in Exchequer funds allocated for the construction of a new bus depot at Harristown.

Significant changes have taken place in Dublin since the start of the national development plan. These changes include substantial increases in rail capacity, such as Luas, commuter rail services and the DART upgrades, together with ongoing demographic changes. As a result of a reconfigured fleet, passenger carrying capacity has increased by 255 at peak times. It is in this context that Dublin Bus is carrying out a review of the bus network in Dublin. The company has advised me that the review will be completed early next year. The company is, in the first instance, assessing how to maximise the utilisation of its existing bus fleet.

I anticipate that the company will respond to the challenge of meeting customer expectations in Dublin with new and innovative solutions. I intend to carry out full public consultation on the company's proposals. Given the level of investment in the bus market in Dublin, I want a wide range of views on any proposals for further investment in the bus market to ensure that it continues to represent best value for money for the taxpayer.

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