Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

With regard to CER, I had no say and the Minister has no say. CER is an independent regulator and the DTA is a different animal. The Minister with responsibility for energy has no say and cannot interfere in the price mechanism established with regard to the Commission for Energy Regulation. This Bill gives the Minister the power, if he or she chooses to exercise it, to give policy direction on fares. The Minister will not set individual fares but he or she can decide that as a sustainable transport or travel policy we should encourage people to leave their cars and use public transport. To encourage this, a fares policy might be put in place. It is in this way the Minister can exercise his or her functions. CER is a horse of a different colour. No ministerial intervention is allowed and it is statutorily barred. The Minister will not have the power to intervene.

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