Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Amendment No. 1 seeks to amend the definition of a bus to incorporate small public service vehicles with a minimum passenger accommodation of five persons including the driver. The Minister of Transport pointed out during the consideration of this amendment on Committee Stage that the word "bus" is defined in the Bill as a mechanically propelled vehicle designed for travel by road with seating accommodation for more than nine persons, including the driver. The same definition is also used in the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 and as Deputy Broughan is aware, that legislation is intrinsically linked to the legislation now before the House.

The primary purpose of the Bill is to establish a new licensing regime for commercial bus services on specified routes. Separate and distinct legal frameworks have evolved since the Road Traffic Act 1933 in respect of small and large public service vehicles. The Minister is strongly of the view that any blurring of the fundamental difference between large and small public service vehicles should be avoided at all costs and should not form part of this Bill because the focus of the Bill is on the development of a new legislative provision for the licensing of commercial bus services. Accordingly, the Minister requests the Deputy to withdraw the amendment.

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