Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I have met with Dublin Bus representatives. I am happy with the way the company resolved its industrial relations issue, and particularly with how it gave priority to new people coming into the company and allowed older people who wished to take voluntary redundancy to do so.

In a contracting economy, the situation has worsened for people who need public transport. People cannot afford to drive as much as previously and there are fewer buses on the road. What plans do the Minister or Dublin Bus have to improve services? When funding is cut the company cannot provide service.

The Dublin Transport Authority was to have been set up earlier this year. Will it be in place before the end of the year? When it is set up, will it give priority to this area?

Integrated ticketing was to have cost €12 million. It has cost €18 million to date and is still not fully in place. Taxpayers' money has been wasted on this project and it is not working as well as it ought.

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