Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress made to date in the establishment of an independent public transport procurement and regulatory body; when this legislation will be published; when this body will be fully operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15491/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since my appointment last year, I have met with the management of Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus as well as the CIE unions and ICTU and representatives of the private bus industry on the reform of the bus market.

It remains my intention to establish an independent national public transport procurement and regulatory body to, inter alia, procure socially necessary bus services, license commercial services and regulate fares.

Officials in my Department are continuing to meet with stakeholders regarding their views on how to reform the market. On the basis of the discussions I have had with the stakeholders, I remain hopeful that significant progress can be made on an agreed framework to reform the bus market in the near future. Once agreement has been reached I intend to proceed with legislation as a matter of priority.