Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

At the launch of Transport 21, I said I was convinced that we needed a new approach to transport in the greater Dublin area, delivered through a single authority with the power to ensure joined-up thinking and delivery across all transport modes. In pursuit of this objective I have appointed a team chaired by Professor Margaret O'Mahony to finalise the remit, structures and human resource requirements of the proposed authority. When considering the remit of the authority, I have asked the team to have regard to the importance of timely and effective implementation of the Transport 21 investment programme in the greater Dublin area, delivering an integrated transport system and ensuring effective inter-agency co-operation and co-ordination.

In modernising the regulatory framework governing public transport there is also a need to ensure proposals in that regard are coherent with the institutional arrangements being made for the implementation of Transport 21, particularly in the greater Dublin area. I will review how best to proceed with public transport reform and the proposal for a public transport commission after Professor O'Mahony's team has reported and the Government has made decisions on the proposed transport authority for the greater Dublin area.

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