Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I note that section 26 of the Bill also outlines the Minister's ability to issue policy directions and guidelines to the Dublin transport authority, DTA. I intend to insert a strong amendment here specifying the Minister's absolute responsibility to report to Members of the Oireachtas on all matters pertaining to the DTA. As I said earlier, the Dublin transport authority must not be allowed to become another quango or a HSE on wheels. The DTA will be a significant and powerful organisation with an enormous budget. It will also have a vast transport, planning and socio-economic agenda. It is imperative that the DTA and the Minister for Transport of the day are fully accountable to the Dáil and to their fellow citizens.

I accept that Part 2, section 41 establishes that the DTA must attend the Oireachtas transport committee and Committee of Public Accounts if requested to do so. However, I strongly believe that political responsibility for the organisation must be fully accepted and acted upon by the Minister for Transport in the pre-eminent chamber of this House, the Dáil. At present, the Minister is unaccountable for bodies such as the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the Road Safety Authority, RSA. I will attempt to amend this Bill to ensure he must answer to Dáil Éireann on all major issues of policy and performance with regard to the Dublin Transport Authority. I hope the Minister will give a commitment to do this and that an initiative will be taken, in conjunction with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and the Ceann Comhairle, to ensure there are no more unaccountable quangos——

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