Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is disappointing that the Minister did not feel the need to wait for the full debate. Several questions were asked of him and he is not here to answer them. How was the consultant, Jarrett Walker, appointed? Were other consultants considered? Why is there a lack of reference in the documentation to people with a disability? Will there be an extra period of public consultation? What is the timeline of how this proposal advances from here? We are no wiser than when we came in.

The Minister was critical of Fianna Fáil for representing the views of Dublin Bus passengers. I do not know where he has been all summer. Does he realise the concerns people have about these proposals? I was supportive of this project at its launch and I still am. However, I said in my press statement that the NTA most engage with local communities which will be impacted by changes to the bus network and must communicate effectively with people from start to finish. This is what this motion is about. This is about ensuring the consultation process is not a box-ticking exercise but that the people's views are heard.

When the Minister was in opposition, he was heavily critical of the NTA. In an article in December 2011 he referred to the NTA as a quango established to protect CIÉ and its political masters and stated the Government had the power under legislation to issue guidelines or policies to the NTA. Was that Shane Ross's opinion? Is he happy now as Minister that the NTA is in a position to protect its political masters?

I acknowledge the work the NTA has done in the past several weeks on the public consultations. However, it must be remembered that this offers an opportunity to get the redesign of the Dublin Bus network right from the beginning. The NTA has already come out and reversed some of the BusConnects proposals.

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