Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to concentrate on issues around transport. I realise it is only part of the overall brief and responsibility of the Minister.

I note the Minister's emphasis on the Road Safety Authority. The Minister will recall that the last time he was in the House I asked for some detail or clarification relating to vacancies for directors on the RSA board. The Minister outlined a course of action and associated reasons. He explained that he had more names than people and that he did not quite know what their recommendations were. He said he wanted to review the whole matter. That is the Minister's prerogative and I acknowledge that. However, I believe it is important that the Road Safety Authority has all the necessary resources and personnel to do its job. After all, the authority has a statutory remit.

The Minister also mentioned an ongoing report or review of the RSA. The Minister might share with us the position at this point. Where is the RSA review? Has it been completed? What are its recommendations, if it is complete? When does the Minister intend to fill the three vacancies on the board of directors of the RSA?

I want to raise an issue that I raised with the Minister previously on numerous occasions. It relates to the inordinate delays for everyone - young people in particular are affected – who wishes to do a driving test. We know there are major delays in Donegal, Sligo and, to a lesser extent, Galway. Young people want to do a driving test in these places but they are repeatedly delayed. The problem is especially acute in parts of rural Ireland where there is a high reliance on private cars. They do not have the public transport network to get around.

The evidence shows that many young people are driving without an experienced accompanying driver. They are leaping from village to town. That is not right. We cannot condone that but that is the reality. These young people want to do their test and get it. It impacts on their insurance and independence. I believe it is appropriate to put some measures in place to fast-track applications where there are backlogs in the system. People who want to do their driving test should be able to do it. I got a call this morning from Councillor Nicholas Crossan from Donegal. He said it is one of the major issues in his clinic in Buncrana week in, week out. Young people in their 20s and 30s are waiting for months. That is unacceptable and I am keen to hear what the Minister has to say about it.

More pressing is the potential of a major travel dispute that will affect public transport next week. I took the time to look over the submission by the National Bus and Rail Union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. It was submitted by the NBRU spokesman, Dermot O'Leary, and Patrick McCusker. I will not reread the submission. The joint committee raised several issues. Clearly, we have a major travel dispute and industrial dispute under way.

It cannot really be said that the Minister does not have a role in respect of transport. A number of the Minister's colleagues in the Independent Alliance would be fully aware of the implications for rural transport. It is one of the planks of this Government's policy in the partnership Government manifesto, to which the Minister is a party and to which his colleagues are committed. The aim is to bridge the shortcomings in terms of infrastructure for rural communities. Rural communities rely heavily on public transport and they avail of various modes of transport provided by Bus Éireann.

We really have a critical issue. We also have issues relating to the Department of Social Protection. That Department funds aspects of the rural travel system and the fees are being paid by that Department. I am not suggesting that the Department should be lumbered with fees. However, the reality is that public transport is a service, especially in rural communities. The Minister does have a role, as does the Minister for Social Protection, the NTA and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in resolving this dispute.

It is a question of public health. If there is insufficient money, we have to deal with it. Transport is a critical issue for people, especially in rural communities. I am keen to hear how the Minister intends to take some responsibility in terms of negotiating with all parties to get some resolution. Certainly, there must be reform and cost-cutting measures. However, the reality is this is not a level playing pitch. Some private people operate on some routes. Some of the routes have been cherry-picked as a result of NTA encouragement over many years. The public sector companies are taking up the bad routes and many of them are not profitable.

A key issue arises for the Minister's political group. I know that the Minister and his group are absolutely committed to balanced regional and rural development. I believe this is one aspect of the dispute. I am keen to hear what the Minister has to say. I believe this is critical. A great deal is at stake here. We need to look at it.