Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Transport his estimate of the average cost per licence to his Department of administering and enforcing the bus licensing system; the extent to which this cost is recouped in the licence fee; his plans to introduce regulations under current legislation to raise the application and licence fees to at least this cost; if so, when this will happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31192/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The legal basis for the fees charged by the bus licensing division of my Department for passenger licences issued under the Road Transport Act 1932 is the regulations made under the Act, that is the Road Transport Regulations 1932, No. 26 of 1932, as amended by Regulations in 1955, No. 68 of 1955. My Department is currently reviewing the level of these fees and will be proposing revised charges in the new year. The current level of fees is as follows:

My Department was unable at short notice to collate the information requested by the Deputy estimating the average cost per licence of administering and enforcing the bus licensing system. However, this information will be forwarded directly to the Deputy shortly.

Total revenue from fees in 2004 was €5,055. This is inadequate to meet the true cost of administering and enforcing the bus licensing system. This and the other acknowledged limitations of the existing road transport legislation underline the need for modernisation. I am currently considering the views and issues put to me by the various stakeholders in this regard.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Transport when the extra daily bus service fromKinsale to Cork city which was sanctioned on the 16 July 2005 for early September will become operational. [31227/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 112 of Thursday, 29 September 2005.

As stated in that reply a notification from Bus Éireann for the bus service on the route in question was approved by my Department on 16 September 2005. The introduction of public bus services on specific routes is a commercial and operational matter for Bus Éireann. It is now a matter for Bus Éireann to make arrangements for the introduction of the proposed new services.