Cyprian Brady (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus roimh An Bille um Údarás Iompair Bhaile Átha Cliath 2008.

Irrespective of whether they represent urban or rural constituencies, Members continually deal with matters relating to public and private transport. I welcome the publication of the Bill, the main purpose of which is to place a single, properly accountable public body, the Dublin transport authority, in overall charge of surface transport in the greater Dublin area. A primary objective is to ensure the delivery of the Transport 21 investment, which is currently under way, and create a high-quality integrated and, most importantly, sustainable transport system that meets the needs of people living and working in the greater Dublin area.

The necessary structures to streamline the planning and implementation of transport infrastructure and services in the greater Dublin area will be put in place by this Bill.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, pointed out last night, the greater Dublin area is the most densely populated region suffering the worst traffic congestion in the State. It is covered by seven local authorities, including Dublin city, Fingal, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Kildare. He also pointed out that the total number of vehicles registered in the greater Dublin area with local authorities in 2006 was 836,000. That number has grown since. The Minister of State also indicated the population of the region is close to 1.6 million people.

This is a substantial amount of vehicles and people and we need to encourage all those people to convert to public transport. It is imperative we do so. However, without a properly functioning public service, we cannot blame people for choosing to take their cars to work. One should consider that an individual pays out an initial sum to purchase a car and goes on to insure the car and themselves and tax it as well. On a wet and windy Monday morning, the apparent choice of standing at a bus stop or train station for 20 minutes or half an hour or getting into a car means there is no choice. People will always choose a car unless we can provide a suitable and efficient alternative.

I see on a regular basis in my constituency of Dublin Central evidence that the current public transport system is at times inadequate. In far too many instances, the buses and trains are full by the time they reach my constituents on the outskirts of Dublin. This must be addressed and this Bill should provide people with an efficient and effective alternative to using their own cars. It is about encouraging people and making it simple and easy for them to access public transport.

A modern society requires a modern infrastructure. Since coming to office in 1997, Fianna Fáil in Government has moved to correct the impact of decades of under-investment in our transport infrastructure by committing unprecedented funding to this area. I will list a few of the achievements so far. There has been a complete overhaul of our rail service in terms of track and new rolling stock. Anybody who takes a train on a regular basis will have seen a difference. Although parts of the system must be improved and modernised, there has been a significant improvement overall in both stock and the quality of trains.

There are over 1,100 new buses for Dublin Bus, including 100 delivered over December 2006 and January 2007. The quality of buses has improved greatly from the days of the smoke-filled double decker buses which had people crammed on. There is a modern and efficient fleet. Importantly, going back to the time when Deputy Mary O'Rourke was Minister with responsibility for transport, accessibility for wheelchair users on the bus system has improved greatly.

There are also over 600 new buses for Bus Éireann and quality bus corridors have been introduced successfully in Dublin and are being rolled out in the other cities. The local authority took responsibility, making a hard decision and many people were not happy with the introduction of the corridors. They have made a significant difference. The route on the Stillorgan road has made a big difference. It is about encouraging people and providing them with an alternative service.

The success of Luas means it is being touted as the jewel in the crown, and it carries over 26 million passengers annually. I will return to the Luas later.

There has been a doubling of capacity for passengers on the DART, along with upgrading of stations. I take this opportunity to congratulate CIE on the work it has done on the DART stations and its rolling stock. There is a difference from when the DART was introduced, when at peak hours and even off-peak there were significant problems getting access to the train because of the sheer numbers using it. CIE undertook a significant programme of improvement and extending rail platforms and stops. It has also invested heavily in increasing rolling stock, which has made a big difference to the millions users every year.

Whether they are coming into the city centre from the suburbs or going from the north side to the south side, the numbers speak for themselves. The footfall through DART stations is very significant.

We also have a vibrant aviation sector. From 1997, we have had 200% growth in passenger numbers at the regional airports, including 110% growth at Dublin, 100% at Shannon and an increase of 150% at Cork. We must plan and design our infrastructure around these increases and pressures which are being brought to bear on our air transport system.

The ten-year, €34 billion capital Transport 21 investment programme, which was launched in November 2005, will deliver significant infrastructural renewal. A number of key policy priorities in the plan include the timely and cost-effective implementation of the planned public transport infrastructure projects. There is also the effective integration of public transport services, including the development of an integrated ticketing service and the creation of a single public transport brand.

This Bill continues the work which has been done. A number of speakers mentioned the integration of the ticketing systems and any of us who have travelled to other cities around Europe will have seen that it works immensely well where such a system is in place. A person can go to a shop or booth to purchase a ticket which will get them on to a train, light rail, the metro and buses. Much work has been done by the Dublin Transportation Office in this area and the co-ordination of the various bodies is an issue. I hope, with the introduction of the Dublin transport authority, the various interests can be pulled together to put a form on the technologies available for the integration of ticketing systems to produce a brand that can be sold as the greater Dublin area brand for transport throughout the country.

I will outline some of the main provisions of the Bill, which contains seven parts. Part 1 deals with general matters such as definitions of key terms and relates to certain standard legislative provisions. Part 2 relates to the Dublin transport authority and concerns arrangements for establishment of the authority. The general objectives and functions to be pursued by the authority are set out in sections 10 and 11. The authority is required to prepare a draft transport strategy for the approval of the Minister setting out the strategic transport requirements for the greater Dublin area under section 12, and a six-year integrated implementation plan is also required under section 13, with a six-year review mechanism. Considering the change in technologies in transport around the world, which is immensely quick, we must keep up. We should not be afraid of looking at the experiences of cities abroad. Some, including the Dublin Transportation Office, have looked at various systems in place around Europe and the world, and we should not be afraid of looking at them to tailor such systems to our requirements. It is incumbent on us to get the maximum value for money from all these projects. If there are existing systems or technology — mechanical or ICT — we should look at them.

Chapter 2 of Part 2 concerns the structure and governance arrangements of the authority. Given the large amount of Exchequer funds being allocated to the authority — under the Bill, some €4 million will initially be allocated to set up the interim board. The direct selection and appointment of the board will be made by the Minister. This will ensure adequate accountability and that the most appropriate people are appointed. I am delighted to see there is an onus on the board to consult widely with the various stakeholders, including local authorities, groups and especially communities. In my experience major infrastructure programmes cause disruption on a daily basis to people living and working around such developments. Prior consultation and providing adequate information initially may save trouble later. Lack of a good communications strategy and lack of information gives rise to rumour and innuendo, and people become concerned about their living environment and about their future and that of their children. A case in point is the group in the Drumcondra area, Residents for Realignment Limited, which campaigns for the realignment of the metro north. It has done significant work in trying to build lines of communication between itself and the transport developer. I am delighted that this legislation requires the board to do that. Under section 13 there is also a requirement to consult in regard to the six-year integrated implementation plan. Again it is incumbent on all authorities, but particularly when it comes to major infrastructural development, to make any plans available to the communities and people who will be directly affected by them.

The authority, consisting of ten members, will be appointed by the Minister, and the board will be responsible for performing the functions of the authority. Section 17 also provides for the appointment by the Minister of a 13 member advisory council, which will scrutinise the work of the authority. I have experience of a similar type of framework in the context of the Grangegorman Development Agency which is a member of a consultative group which feeds directly into the board of the development agency and works extremely well. It opens up lines of communication with the board, clarifies decisions being made and gives people an opportunity to have an input into how projects are developing. The members of the board of the advisory council will include the Dublin City Manager and two county managers from the greater Dublin area or their nominated officers, four elected officers of the Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities, a member of the Garda Síochána and four ordinary members nominated by representative organisations. It is incumbent on agencies and authorities such as the one currently proposed to have a representative spread of people who are directly affected by any developments they may undertake. The board is subject to consultation with the National Development Finance Agency which has proved to be hugely successful in recent times in terms of financing arrangements. The chief executive officer of the authority is subject to summons before the Committee of Public Accounts and other committees of the Houses. This gives us direct access into how the authority does its work and how the experts and professional people employed by the authority can be influenced, and the authority will have to justify its decisions.

The possibility of incorporating the Commission for Taxi Regulation within the DTA by way of Committee Stage amendment is also being considered by the Minister. It would be an extremely good idea to include the Commission for Taxi Regulation within the DTA because it has a major role. Over the years taxi drivers have proved that they have a service to offer the people of Dublin and the wider community. In suburban areas taxis are as important as other public transport services. It would, therefore, be a good idea to incorporate the taxi regulator within the DTA.

The Railway Procurement Agency will continue as a separate body. However, the responsibility for integrated ticketing will transfer to the DTA. The integration of services is a major priority as regards Dublin city. Given the experience of the past number of years, the increase in traffic, the increased population in Dublin city and the wider area, ongoing management and integration of services will be crucial in resolving the problems we are currently experiencing.

Part 3 of the Bill comprises six chapters dealing with various aspects of the transport system. A number of important provisions which are designed to progress the development of a fully integrated transport system in the greater Dublin area are contained in Chapter 3 of Part 3. Section 44 in particular gives responsibility for the development of lands adjacent to any public transport infrastructure. I have had experience over the years of organisations and entities such as CIE, who are major landowners in the city area, being unable to properly secure and maintain their properties. This has caused major problems for people living in the vicinity. Bringing them under the DTA will co-ordinate matters and allocate responsibilities in that area. Section 64 deals specifically with the management of construction projects. I will speak later on those in Dublin city centre.

The Bill refers to local traffic plans. I would like the Minister to clarify what is meant by the term "local traffic plans". Does it refer to a particular locality within the city, to a suburb or to the wider area and counties surrounding Dublin?

Part 4 of the Bill outlines a number of provisions relating to enforcement. Section 51 ensures the safety, efficiency and quality of service by empowering the agency to alter public service contracts. As public representatives there is an onus on us to ensure value for money but also to ensure safety and efficiency. This is included in the Bill. The Bill also provides for the appointment of authorised officers under section 78 and these officers will have the authority to enter premises. We have a very good and strong traffic corps within the Garda Síochána. However, we are now at the stage where we must consider having a dedicated traffic police service, whether it is a transport police or what is called in the United States a metro police service. As time goes on and numbers increase, problems will also increase so that we will need a dedicated transport policing service.

Part 5 of the Bill deals with integrating land use and transport planning. The Ministers for Transport and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will have powers to ensure consistency between transport and land use policies. That is an important requirement under planning. To avoid problems further down the road, planning and design must be done at a very early stage, again getting all the stakeholders involved.

The Bill deals with other matters, including the interconnector, the Luas and the metro. There is a huge working and residential population in Dublin city centre who must be consulted and taken into account when engaging in major design and planning of the infrastructure being planned for the city. The less disruption and the less interference with people's lives and environment, the better. That can be achieved, particularly with the proposed authority in place. I commend the bill to the House.

See this speech in context