Brian Walsh (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 269: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the contract for public service obligation bus routes will be the subject of a tender process when the current arrangement expires in December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10283/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Under EU law and the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, as amended, existing public service obligation (PSO) bus services can be procured by the National Transport Authority (NTA) through direct award contracts and any other new subvented services must be procured by way of open tendering.

At the expiry of the current 5 year direct award contracts for the provision of PSO services with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann the NTA have discretion to renew, modify or terminate the direct award provision of bus services following a consultation process with interested parties under which the NTA is obliged to justify its approach.

In accordance with the commitment in the Programme for Government to explore the benefit to the public transport passenger of more diverse bus service provision, I will be consulting with my Ministerial colleagues soon on the future options for procurement of PSO bus services.

In accordance with the commitment in the Programme for Government to explore the benefit to the public transport passenger of more diverse bus service provision, I will be consulting with my Ministerial colleagues soon on the future options for procurement of PSO bus services.