Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Members of both Houses and my officials for facilitating this Bill and I welcome some of the remarks that were made on its passage.

Deputy Shortall is absolutely correct that I seem to be characterised as somebody who actually makes decisions. Based on what she said, I should make no decisions. I defy anybody to question the decisions I have made in only 12 months in the Department of Transport, particularly as such decisions were not made in previous decades. The Deputy is correct that I had a choice regarding this Bill. The choice was simple. If I did nothing and opted to produce a new Bill, it certainly would not have seen the light of day during the lifetime of this Dáil.

I am criticised for seizing the opportunity to try to do something positive. I accept some of the criticisms made by both Deputies that one would hope to do it better. I subscribe to that view in terms of having Opposition Deputies briefed. I have been in that position many times. One wants to know what is happening and to have as much time as possible to deal with a matter but one cannot allow an indefinite amount of time. I am not unfocused in any way and I took the decision to use this Bill as an opportunity. The Bill could be strengthened immeasurably and it has been for the benefit of the public. The highest safety standards should be subscribed to by those who operate the public transport system — specifically the railways — in this country. I believe I did the right thing, although it was not the perfect way to do it.

The Deputy is correct that this Bill has been around since 2001. It could have been around for another three years if I did not take action. I sought the support of the House for doing that. In fairness to both Deputies, who were primarily responsible for the Bill, there was a good discussion on many aspects of its provisions. Everyone will subscribe to the view that it will work well. I sincerely hope so. It is good legislation. Inevitably some legislation is challenged but I believe this was the right thing to do.

With regard to the decisions I have taken in terms of the investment in transport, the Deputy is wrong to state that I suddenly woke up after launching Transport 21 and decided that I had better do something else. I had spoken about this months in advance of Transport 21. I would not have had the credibility to get somebody of the stature of Professor Margaret O'Mahony to take on the task she has undertaken if the Government had not made the decision. One must be in a credible position. Deputies will note that I do not make press announcements about these issues. I work out what the decision should be and when I have made it, I make the announcement. That might be somewhat different from how others do business but it is my way.

I accept that people can disagree with my decisions. That is their right and I do not have a problem with it. However, at least let my term in office in any Department be characterised by making decisions, right or wrong. Let me be criticised for actually making decisions. I will always accept that. What I will not do, and I hope have never done, is sit back, take the script and do nothing. I have no interest in doing that. I never had an interest in taking that approach in politics. If that is the basis of the criticism, so be it. I reject it and am proud to do so on the basis of my record, particularly during the past 12 months in the Department of Transport.

This Bill will make a fundamental difference. The investment of €1.4 billion in the 15-year safety programme that began in 1999 is allowing us to do a great deal in public transport that we would have only dreamed of doing in previous years. All parties in the House are guilty of ignoring the railways in the past. That has changed in every way possible. Having the safety infrastructure in place allows us, under Transport 21, to invest a huge amount in rolling stock and quality facilities to encourage the public to use these services. Yesterday and today, I was with Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann to announce a huge increase in the number, quality and capacity of their services, which will make them far more attractive to the public.

I agree that more must be done but, irrespective of who will be on this side of the House in the coming years, some of these major infrastructure projects will take time to deliver. For the first time in the history of the State, however, we have a Government decision, a plan and the money that is required. That was never the case in the past and I defy anybody to suggest otherwise. That is the position.

If I am to be damned — the Deputy is correct that I will be — for opting to do something more important, broad-ranging and far-reaching by changing the Driver Testing and Standards Authority Bill to the Road Safety Authority Bill, it is still the right thing to do. Again, I am faced with the option of not bothering. Given what the Deputy said, my life would be much easier. I would not be subject to criticism for doing these things if I did nothing. It is when one is prepared to put one's head above the parapet that one is criticised. That does not bother me. I am happy to do these things.

I know precisely what I am doing with public transport and with the investment in transport across the delivery modes. I look forward, on 1 January next, to taking on this country's ports and to dealing with maritime safety issues. I hope this is seen as an acknowledgement that we in the Department of Transport know what we are doing. In fairness, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and the Taoiseach agreed with me that the correct, cohesive and cross-cutting treatment in respect of this issue was to place it within the remit of the Department of Transport.

I thank the officials who worked extremely hard on the Bill. Members will accept that, given the frustration of trying to get this Bill to fruition and through the Oireachtas, enormous credit is due to them for not losing focus. I saw that effort and the desire to get this task done and I had no intention of waiting for another two or three years while nothing happened. If I am to be damned for that, so be it.

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