Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Transport the changing policy conditions that led to his announcement that all plans to introduce competition into the Dublin bus market have been abandoned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10002/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Plans to introduce competition into the Dublin bus market have not been abandoned. The Government is committed to the further expansion and enhancement of public bus services and wants a world-class service to be delivered to all citizens. Moreover, it is wholeheartedly committed to obtaining best value for the travelling public and the taxpayer from significant subsidies being invested by the Exchequer in public bus services operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.

In order to achieve this, the Government has identified a number of priorities in its programme for Government. The programme contains a commitment to expedite the establishment of a Dublin transport authority that will have the necessary powers to ensure the delivery of the integrated public transport system, as envisaged under Transport 21. It is my intention to bring the Dublin transport authority Bill to Cabinet shortly for approval to publish.

In terms of the subvented bus market, the Dublin transport authority Bill will set out the mechanisms for the award of contracts for this subvention in line with the new regime introduced under the new EU PSO regulation, which will become mandatory from next year. The programme for Government also includes a commitment to improving bus services under Transport 21 by reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932 to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants, both public and private.

It is my intention that proposals for a new bus licensing regime will follow in subsequent legislative proposals. Any new licensing regime will be designed in a manner consistent with the new EU regulation on public service obligations in the transport sector, which was adopted in 2007 and which will come into force next year. While it is not possible to indicate a precise time as to when the legislative proposals on regulatory reform of the bus market will be published, applications for new bus licences and notifications from State bus operators will continue to be processed under the provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932, as amended, and the notification system with reference to the Transport Act 1958, as appropriate.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I am amazed by the Minister for Transport's flip-flop on this issue. It is similar to that which occurred in respect of driving licences. A couple of weeks ago, the Minister indicated that he was not in favour of increased competition in the bus market. It is clear that he is under a great deal of pressure from his colleagues in government, the Progressive Democrats. The former Minister, Deputy Brennan, was going to increase competition to 25% of the bus market. Under Deputy Dempsey's immediate predecessor, Deputy Cullen, that figure dropped to 15%. Prior to today, the Minister's stated policy was that there would not be any further competition in the bus market. Why the flip-flop? Why has the Minister changed his mind? What is the true story and what are the facts?

I wonder if the Minister received another ticking off from the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, who last week stated that he wants to improve public transport capacity by quickly increasing the number of buses on the streets of Dublin. How can this be done unless the share of the Dublin bus market in respect of which private bus operators can tender is increased?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The problem with the Deputy is that he reads newspaper headlines and reports which bear little relation to reality or to anything I have said and takes them as gospel. I cannot be held responsible for what the Deputy might think——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Why did the Minister not deny the veracity of the statement at the time?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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——as a result of what he might read in certain publications. The statements I have made in this House are statements of policy. The statements in the programme for Government deal with public transport. That is the policy I am pursuing. I have outlined my priorities, on which I intend to deliver, one after the other, which will give us the public transport system we need in Dublin. The biggest priority has to be delivery of the Dublin transport authority Bill which will be published at the beginning of the next session and on which I look forward to a full discussion, as well as the general issue of public transport in Dublin. There is no flip-flopping.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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There is, clearly, a flip-flop because at a briefing on his first day in office the Minister was told that the Dublin transport authority Bill was ready to be published. When I raised this issue with him some months ago, he said we would have the Bill before Christmas but we did not. There was another flip flop. Is it that the Cabinet cannot agree the Bill? What is the truth of the matter? He promised it again for early in this session. As of yesterday I understand we may have it after Easter. The Minister is not able to deliver to the commuters of Dublin. He flips when he says we cannot have competition in the bus market and today he flops when he says we can. He is flipping again on the Dublin transport authority Bill and now has flopped because he has not had it introduced. He is not doing his job. All the delays under Transport 21 indicate how the Government is split and how incapable the Minister is of delivering. He stopped a Bill which had been finalised almost one year ago with everything printed and ready to run. He is not doing his job.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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The Minister has missed the bus.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Yes, he has.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister to respond briefly, please.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Acting Chairman could not expect me to be brief when dealing with a tissue of lies.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister should not use the word "lie".

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I withdraw the word "lie"——

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is the one telling lies.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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——and call it an untruth.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy O'Dowd should allow the Minister to speak without interruption.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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On a point of order, has the Minister withdrawn the word used?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I have. It is an untruth, or several untruths. The Deputy will have to stop getting his information from unreliable sources.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The national media.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. The Deputy has to stop believing the headlines that some sub-editors put at the top of the newspapers. Once, if not twice, I explained the Dublin transport authority Bill was ready and complete when I took office.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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One year ago.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I reviewed its terms in the light of changed circumstances, one of which I told the Deputy was the composition of the Government. I thought it courteous to allow my new colleagues to read the terms of the Bill.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Minister flopped again.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I indicated to the Deputy that a PSO directive was almost finalised and that the Bill had to be reviewed in that light. There was a legal action against the State at EU level that also had to be taken into account. I had a particular interest in ensuring the land use and transport sections of the Bill would be sufficiently strong to ensure the issues could be married. I also told him that when those matters were resolved, I would bring the Bill before the House. I stand over that statement.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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When will that be? Will the Minister give us a date?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should not get too excited about the negative spins put on Transport 21 in the newspapers. We are spending €9.4 million per day and will secure 175 million extra public transport journeys as a result.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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That is not very much to spend on public transport.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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There will be 75 million extra suburban rail journeys.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister should conclude.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes but I would hate for the Deputy to read all the negative stories and not to be aware of all the wonderful things happening in the country. Perhaps he would prefer to continue in his ignorance.

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I apologise that the Chair has to impose Standing Orders. I will do my best.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Acting Chairman should not apologise.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The Acting Chairman should put the Minister out if he will not do what he is told.