Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I am not a free marketeer, totally, as regards this. Public transport is not quite the same as other commodities that are allowed to operate in a totally free market. My preference as regards transport in the greater Dublin area in particular as well as in areas around other cities is to have a regulated competitive market, one where the needs of the public are met. If it happens that the private sector is in first and gets a licence, the public transport system cannot be allowed to undermine this simply on the basis of a subvention. I do not mind competition where no subvention is involved. However, it is a regulated competitive market. One does not want a totally free market where one may end up with all of the lucrative areas being served, and poorer areas being ignored.

I understand the Deputy's position as regards QBCs and the need to have those routes populated with buses. The issue of changing the regulations has been examined several times and there is no proposal before me at the moment in that regard.

See this speech in context