Dáil debates

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions

Public Transport

2:00 pm

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure a viable public transport system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52911/12]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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This question is in regard to the public transport system. My Department and the National Transport Authority are working with public transport operators to increase the efficiency and attractiveness of existing public transport services.  We are not in a financial position to make a significant investment in the public transport network, but we can get a better return from the existing public transport system through targeted investment and better use of current resources and by using smart technology to make public transport more responsive and user-friendly.

Targeted investment is essential in these financially straitened times.  An example is the Luas BXD project to link the Luas lines. The Government has also continued to invest in the bus companies, including the recent decision to purchase 80 new buses for Dublin Bus at a cost of €26 million and 60 new buses for Bus Éireann in 2011 at a cost to the Exchequer of €19 million. Considerable funding has also been provided in recent years for measures to make public transport more attractive such as the Leap card, real-time passenger information, automatic vehicle location, AVL, and providing Wi-Fi.

On 24 July the Government decided to provide additional funding of €36 million for CIE to ensure the companies could continue to operate for the rest of 2012. This would bring the total subvention for the year to €278 million, higher than the subvention level for 2010 and, in fact, the fifth highest level of subvention ever.  CIE is progressing the preparation of a revised five year business plan to address the underlying financial challenges facing CIE in order that its public transport services can be provided efficiently and cost effectively over the period of the plan.

2:05 pm

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That is a very fine statement, but the facts that underlie it are different. The Minister of State is aware of the auditor's report that identified the future viability of CIE as being in jeopardy. The reaction from the CIE group of companies was to increase fares and cut services. I understand the fiduciary duty of the company directors and their requirements to balance the books, but the role of the Minister of State is different; it is a public policy role, ensuring there is a public transport network and service to meet the needs of the travelling public. It is a vicious circle at the moment because with the increasing cost of travel and the reduction in services there is a reduction in the level of activity, which results in a difficulty for people who want to use the services.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy must ask a question.

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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When will the Minister of State set out the Government’s strategic policy position in terms of what it wants the public transport network provider to provide to the citizens of this State?

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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It is ironic that the Deputy raises the issue of fare increases, which are a matter for CIE and the National Transport Authority, when, in preceding years - when times were less challenging than they are now - his party announced large fare increases from this side of the House. CIE is in a perfect storm given the loss of revenue and passengers, the fact that PSO funding has had to be cut for obvious economic reasons, the removal of the fuel rebate and the increase in fuel prices. The company is in a difficult situation as the mainstay of public transport, but a bus business plan is being put together by CIE. The Government has taken action to ensure CIE will be able to operate into the future. We are working closely with the board and the various companies to ensure the work is followed through.

As regards the future of public transport, the medium-term Exchequer framework for 2012 to 2016 committed €1,363 million in public transport expenditure on the capital side. Irish Rail is getting €513 million under the third railway programme. I am sure the Deputy is well aware of the major resignalling programme in Dublin. Dublin Bus has 80 new buses and Bus Éireann has 60 new buses. The Deputy is aware of the Luas BXD project. Substantial grants are going to various cities to provide sustainable transport. We have launched the Leap card; Deputy Dooley might confirm to the House that he has purchased one himself. The national journey planner has been launched, as has real time passenger information, and Wi-Fi is provided on a range of public transport services. A substantial amount of work has been undertaken in a year and a half and our plan for public transport is evident from the commitments we have made.

Photo of Timmy DooleyTimmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That sounds like a response from a quack doctor that seeks to resolve the fact that one has a sore toe when one’s heart is failing. The heart of the CIE group of companies is failing. The integrated nature of the network is being disentangled as services are stripped to meet budgetary requirements. The Minister of State will have to rethink in its entirety what kind of public transport service can be provided based on the moneys that are available. I appeal to the Minister of State not to focus on short-term budgetary pressures. He must fight his corner with the Minister for Finance. I do not suggest that it is possible to create money in the current environment but the Minister of State must set out what is required of the State in terms of what the public transport service will look like and what future shape it will have, because if he allows it to be dismantled he will never be in a position to re-establish it.

2:10 pm

Photo of Derek KeatingDerek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy did not buy a Leap card.

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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As I requested, the Deputy might take the opportunity to confirm that he is a user of the Leap card. I encourage every spokesperson on transport to use the card to show leadership from this House. I completely disagree with the Deputy's statement. We are working very closely with CIE which, as the Deputy well knows and as I have outlined to the House on previous occasions, faces a very challenging environment. We have taken the necessary steps to ensure the integrated nature of public transport is maintained. We are also working very closely with the National Transport Authority to ensure time-tabling and other issues, whether they involve a combination of public operators through CIE or private operators offering various other options, are dealt with and progressed to ensure we have a quality product for users, particularly in urban areas in which there is high dependency on public transport.