Written answers

Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Bus Éireann Services

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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1213. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to detail his long-term plans for the public service obligation routes here; if he is considering alternative models of PSO contract provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35470/13]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The objective of Government is to ensure a system of public transport throughout the country that is as efficient and as widespread as possible. In relation to the award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts for the bus market, this falls under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA).  The NTA is currently considering how best publicly subvented bus services will be provided in the future. The direct award (monopoly) contracts for the provision of PSO bus market services held by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann expire late next year.  The awarding of the licenses for the services thereafter is a matter for the NTA, and not for Government, but the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has kept the Cabinet updated on the process.

Where the NTA 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.  Under the legislation, if the NTA proposes to enter into direct award contracts, the relevant section states that  “it may only do so where 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".  If it is not so satisfied, it must provide for some level of competitive tendering.  As explained above, this is not a decision for the Government or for me.

The NTA is conducting its work in accordance with the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. It will be conducting statutory consultations in relation to the matter later in the year with a view to announcing its decision on how it intends to proceed before the end of the year.

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