Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 766: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of new and additional buses promised to Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann under the national development plan; the number of each delivered and operational on the ground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24337/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The target for buses in Dublin under the national development plan, NDP, is 275 additional buses and 500 replacement buses. To date, Dublin Bus has purchased 497 new buses of which 93 are additional and 404 are replacement buses. The Exchequer partially and or fully funded 248 of these buses and they are all operational.

The NDP target for buses for regional public transport is 450 buses to upgrade rural transport fleets and 110 buses to improve services in the urban centres outside Dublin. To date, Bus Éireann has purchased 421 new buses of which 65 are additional and 356 are replacement buses. The Exchequer funded 172 of these buses and they are all operational. Included in this are 174 expressway coaches purchased by Bus Éireann since 1999.

Dublin Bus is carrying out a review of the bus network in Dublin to assess the impact of recent upgrades in rail capacity such as the Luas and the DART upgrade and ongoing demographic changes. The company is, in the first instance, assessing how to maximise the utilisation of its existing bus fleet. The company has informed me that it expects the bus network review to be completed early next year.

In addition, I am considering the proposals put to me by the various stakeholders in the market and the social partners on how best to modernise the regulatory framework for the bus market. I hope to bring forward proposals in the near future which will provide a framework for both public and private bus operators to participate in the growing market.