Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Transport if Dublin Bus is converting three year 2000, low-floor vehicles to conduct multilingual Dublin City tours; if the commercial division of Dublin Bus has purchased these buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9554/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Transport if infrastructure that has been partially funded by the Government, such as garage and maintenance facilities, are being used to park and maintain the vehicles operating the Dublin Bus City tour; if these facilities are available to the commercial activities at no extra cost; his views on whether this constitutes illegal State aid therefore conferring an unfair advantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9555/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together.

The management and use of garage and maintenance facilities and the deployment of buses is an operational matter for Dublin Bus. I understand from Dublin Bus that the vehicles used on Dublin City Bus Tours are not Exchequer funded buses but funded from the Company's own resources.

I am informed by Dublin Bus that, as part of the accounting arrangements maintained in accordance with the requirements of EC Regulation 1191/69 which require separate accounts for public service obligation-funded services and commercial services, the costs of garaging and maintaining the City Tour buses are charged to that service and that the service does not benefit from the compensation paid by the Exchequer to Dublin Bus in respect of its public service obligations.

The CIÉ annual accounts also include a statement to the effect that the grants paid to CIÉ are in accordance with the relevant EU regulations governing State Aid to transport undertakings.