Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

Dáil Éireann declines to give the Bill a Second Reading due to the severe lack of democratic accountability procedures inherent in the Bill in respect of the operation of the proposed Dublin Transport Authority.

According to the briefing documents of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, the Bill was ready for publication in April 2007, but it has taken one year for the Bill to appear before the House in its new format. Since the Minister took so long to make up his mind — the original date set for this debate was tomorrow and, last week, I was satisfied with the set dates of Wednesday and Thursday — his absence is unacceptable. I acknowledge his commitment to North-South co-operation, but it is an insult to the House that the Minister is not present given the importance of this Bill, which will transform the administration of transport in Dublin.

The Minister is not new to the idea of a Dublin transport authority. The record shows that in 1987 an Act was passed to dismiss the Dublin transport authority, which was established by a coalition Government. On the list of luminaries who voted for its abolition was Deputy Noel Dempsey. Perhaps that is the reason for his absence — he is embarrassed that he voted against the authority and, 21 years later, must vote for it without a proper democratic mandate.

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