Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister set out the headline changes and is obviously disappointed with them. Obviously, much more must be done to develop a strategy to get more people out of the car. Since 1981 there has been a serious reduction in the number of people using buses. Some of that is due to the fact that as the economy improved there was a greater propensity for car ownership to increase. People liked the freedoms associated with that. The transformation of our road network also helped in terms of the reduction in gridlock. People considered it more convenient to use their cars. The Government should encourage people to use public transport to a greater extent, although this cannot be laid at the Government's door alone.

Changes are taking place now that are having an impact on the use of public transport. Obviously, it must be recognised by the Government that there is a social good associated with the modal shift away from the car to public transport. That brings me back to the discussion we had in the past about trying to restructure CIE and funding it adequately and appropriately. Before the Minister says so, I am aware that the previous Government reduced the level of subvention. The Minister is following through on that. This year he had to provide an additional €35 million. It will put a huge strain on CIE next year if it will have to manage without that sum and without having an overall restructuring. I am concerned that the immediate response to the cutback in subvention - and the same comment could be made to the previous Government - will be to reduce service and increase ticket prices. While those two actions might resolve the economic imbalance that exists within the State companies, they act as a very significant disincentive for people using public transport. The Minister will have to come forward with ways to mitigate the worst effects of having to increase fares and reduce service in order to retain the network during the recession so there will be an adequate and appropriate public transport service when the economy recovers.

See this speech in context