Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

In the past ten years the capacity and quality of bus and rail services provided by Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann have increased in line with high levels of capital and current funding. The majority of track and signalling infrastructure on the regional rail network has been upgraded, and the rolling stock fleet has been completely renewed. Station facilities and accessibility have been greatly improved and more frequent services have been introduced on most routes. Some formerly closed lines in the south and west are now being reopened as part of the Government's Transport 21 capital investment programme for rail. In particular, in the current year, the Midleton to Cork commuter line and the first phase of the western rail corridor between Ennis and Athenry will be reopened. Bus Éireann has expanded its commercial expressway services, increased public service obligation services and modernised its fleet throughout the country with the purchase of new buses, including the 239 new Exchequer-funded buses in 2007 and 2008.

The improvement in CIE services in the past ten years has been complemented by growing participation of private bus operators in the provision of scheduled bus services throughout the country. Bus services in rural areas also benefited from the major increase in investment in the rural transport programme, RTP, which addresses social exclusion in rural areas arising from unmet public transport needs. I am pleased to say the RTP is now operational in every county in Ireland.

Building on these achievements, Smarter Travel, which I published in February 2009, provides a strategic framework for the further development of public transport services throughout the country. Further improvement of public transport services in the provincial cities will be also guided by the outcome of the major land use and transport studies currently being funded by my Department. The provision of public transport generally outside the greater Dublin area will also be supported by a new legislative framework which will be promoted through the proposed public transport regulation Bill, the general scheme of which was approved by Government in January 2009. The Bill will contain proposals for a new regime for the licensing of all commercial bus services and contracts for public transport services.

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