Seanad debates

Thursday, 16 April 2015

Roads Bill 2014: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Pat O'NeillPat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House to debate the Roads Bill 2014. I am delighted it has gone through the Dáil and I hope when it leaves this House it will be signed into law and the Minister will be able to implement it. The mission statements of the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency both have the aim of providing transport efficiency. The aim of the Railway Procurement Agency is to secure the provision of or provide for such light railway and metro infrastructure as may be determined from time to time by the Minister. That of the National Roads Authority is to secure the provision of a safe and efficient network of national roads. The two agencies are doing basically the same thing so it is important that they are merged.

In 2011, when this Government came into power, we made a promise to the people that we would reform the public services and reduce the number of State agencies or quangos. The Minister has pointed out that when all these reforms are put in place there will be 180 fewer quangos or State agencies, which will save the State approximately €24 million. This Government has also overseen a reduction of 34,000 people in the public service since 2011, a 10% reduction in staff which also creates efficiencies. Private sector employment, however, is up by 95,000 so it shows that while this Government is making efficiencies and savings in the public service, it is still providing jobs in the private sector. The previous Government, especially in the time of Bertie Ahern, increased the size of the public sector by 73,000 employees, or 30%. They were able to brag about full employment but we now know where those people were being employed.

When it was being set up, we all said the National Roads Authority was another quango and I was one of the sceptics. However, if the National Roads Authority is a quango it is a good quango. It has, since its establishment, provided major infrastructure in this country, the biggest part of which is the motorway system from Dublin to our major cities. Even its latest projects such as the Newlands Cross flyover, which I use more than any other, was delivered ahead of time and under budget.

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