Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has received the report and recommendations by the National Transport Agency on public service obligations which was carried out in Summer 2012; if he will make the recommendations of the National Transport Agency available to the public; if and when he intends to make decisions based on these recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16386/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 4, which I answered on 27 March 2013 and a copy of which follows. The position is unchanged.

Dáil Question No: 4 To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to supply the public transport passenger with a more diverse bus service provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- Timmy Dooley.

For PRIORITY answer on Wednesday, 27th March, 2013.

Ref No: 15509/13

Answered by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar



REPLY

This question relates to the structure of the public service obligation bus market. The programme for Government contains a commitment "to establish a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Infrastructure to explore the benefits to the public transport passenger of a more diverse bus service provision".  In line with this commitment, the National Transport Authority conducted a non-statutory public consultation in the summer of 2012. A report on the process is available on the website of the authority.  I draw the Deputy's attention to the Competition Authority's submission, which highlighted the positive international experience of tendering. The National Transport Authority briefed the Cabinet sub-committee on the process in October 2012. Public consultation submissions will be considered and taken into account by the authority when it comes forward with proposals.  If the authority proposes to enter into a further direct award contract or contracts for bus services, it is obliged to carry out a statutory consultation under section 52 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008.  Furthermore, the legislation states that it may not enter into direct award contracts unless "it is satisfied that the continued adequacy of the public bus passenger services to which the contracts relate can only be guaranteed in the general economic interest by entering into such direct award contracts".  Accordingly, the matter will require further examination by the National Transport Authority before any decisions are taken. I have been advised by the authority that it is commencing a series of analytical tasks in respect of the public service obligation bus market.  This analytical work will be completed before August of this year, when the authority anticipates that statutory consultation on any new direct award contract will need to commence.