John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Transport when he expects to introduce a public transport regulator; and the nature and scope that he expects such an office to hold. [4813/05]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made to date in the introduction of competition in the bus market in the greater Dublin area; if his Department has a strategy of implementation in place to allow for the introduction of such competition; if so, when this implementation plan will commence and be fully completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4746/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans for the introduction of private bus operators in the Dublin bus market. [4814/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 150 and 154 together.

As I have indicated previously, I have met the key stakeholders in public transport and welcome the consensus that both State-owned and private bus companies have valuable roles to play in delivering future public transport needs. The overall objectives of public transport policy are to ensure the provision of a well-functioning, integrated public transport system which enhances competitiveness, sustains economic progress and contributes to social cohesion; to ensure the provision of a defined standard of public transport at reasonable cost to the customer and the taxpayer; and to ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of the accelerated investment in infrastructure and facilities necessary to ensure improved public transport provision.

A key element of our public transport system is the bus market. The Transport Act 1932 provides the statutory basis for regulating the bus market. This Act is outdated and is in need of reform. It is a commitment of the Government to replace the Act with a modern regulatory framework which achieves a more open, effective and competitive regime.

The public transport market is an expanding market and I am committed to reforming measures to provide opportunities for both public and private companies to deliver increased public services and to ensure the taxpayer and the customer gets a high quality of service and best value for money in line with our overall objectives. I want to see more people using a better and more extensive public transport network. In this context, it remains my intention to establish an independent national public transport procurement and regulatory body to, inter alia, procure socially necessary bus services, licence commercial services and regulate fares.

Officials in my Department continue to meet stakeholders regarding their views on how to reform the market within the framework I have set out. When I have had an opportunity to consider these views, I will decide how best, in a spirit of partnership, to give effect to reform of the public transport market.