Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As somebody who uses Dublin Bus a lot and has done for all my life, I must say there are welcome areas of the proposals, such as the new orbital route, the fare and the 90 minute period. That would bring us into line with other European cities and those positive elements of the plan could go forward almost immediately and would build confidence in the proposals.

I am concerned about the consultation period. Our consultation in Dublin West and the one in Dublin Central has largely been in supermarkets with those tall tables where people have to queue for hours to get the opportunity to meet one of the engineers. That is a way of putting people off rather than bringing them into the consultation. There is no opportunity for people to have a discussion or a meeting. Many politicians have filled that void by having public and private meetings with concerned citizens. Members from all sides of the House have been doing that.

I am concerned that there is an agenda on the part of the Minister to provide subtly for the privatisation of Dublin Bus.

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