Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will expedite new bus licensing legislation to allow for greater competition in order to bring down the State subsidy for CIE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39964/08]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will introduce new and updated bus licensing legislation; if the heads of a Bill to deal with bus licensing have been drawn up or sent to Cabinet for consideration; the provisions the new legislation will contain; his views on ongoing complaints regarding the lack of licensing legislation from CIE and private bus operators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39842/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will publish the Public Transport Regulation Bill; the proposed heads of this Bill; if the Bill will establish a national transport regulator for the areas not covered by the Dublin Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39844/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 119 and 160 together.

The Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment to improving bus services under Transport 21 by reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932, to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all market participants, both public and private.

The legislative framework to support the authorisation and provision of improved public bus services in the Greater Dublin Area has already been updated through the passage of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, which establishes a new contractual structure relating to the provision of subvented bus services in the Greater Dublin Area.

It is my intention that proposals for a new bus licensing regime will be contained in a Public Transport Regulation Bill which will deal with the replacement of the Road Transport Act 1932 and the provisions of the Transport Act 1958 that relate to the provision of bus services by the State bus companies. It is envisaged that the new licensing structure will apply in respect of all commercial bus services, including those provided by Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann, and will encompass provisions relating to the subvented bus market outside the Greater Dublin Area in a manner consistent with EU Regulation No. 1370/2007 on public service obligations and similar to the contractual framework used in the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008.

Until the proposed legislation is enacted, applications for new bus licences and notifications from State bus operators will continue to be processed under the provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932, as amended, and the notification system with reference to the Transport Act 1958, as appropriate.

The Government has committed to examining the need for a National Transport Regulator in the context of the overall review of the economic regulatory environment. As part of the public transport regulatory reform programme, consideration is being given to the establishment of a national transport authority.

The Public Transport Regulation Bill is included in the Government Legislative Programme in the list of Bills that have yet to be approved by Government. It is my intention to seek Government approval to a General Scheme of the Bill before the end of the year with a view to publication in 2009.