Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I am not sure I understand exactly the point the Minister of State is making but it seems the limited reform effected by this Bill will not apply to the vast majority of the public transport services. The amendment states a road passenger transport operator's licence means a national or international road passenger transport operator's licence within the meaning of section 2 of the Road Traffic and Transport Act 2006. Is the Government currently negotiating contracts for public service obligations with CIE companies? Are they to be completed before this Bill is adopted? If so, this will keep the services provided by Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann outside the remit of the new transport authority. Is it correct that this will be for ten years? By preventing competition in the procurement of the services, is the Government not depriving the public of the opportunity to have public transport services provided in an efficient way? I am not sure this is the point of the legislation. I do not understand the reason for it, bearing in mind the possibility of the negotiations being delayed. The Government needs to refrain from entering into the ten-year contracts with the CIE companies in advance of the implementation of this legislation to allow some sort of competition.