Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I am amazed with the Minister's reply. Has the Minister for Transport sought a copy of the Dublin Bus report into that fatal accident? The answer is that he has not. What lessons have been learned following that accident? We do not know and the Minister for Transport does not know, as he has not sought a copy of the report. I have sought a copy and it has been refused to me for legal reasons. However, we have had legal problems with reports previously. The report on the accident in Kentstown will be published by Bus Éireann. The Minister has a duty of care, in the public interest, to insist Dublin Bus publishes its report into the accident on Wellington Quay. We do not know the findings of this report.

If the Minister does not set up an independent body to investigate such accidents which, unfortunately, are outside the remit of the Health and Safety Authority then we have no independent way of assessing the important resulting information. Throughout the country people who lose family members in accidents, including road traffic accidents, and where there are fatalities and serious injuries have no closure as the reports are not published. There are reports produced apart from Garda investigations. We want them all in the public domain. The Minister is failing in his duty of care if he does not set up within his Department an independent investigation unit into road traffic accidents and accidents involving private and public bus companies.

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