Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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49. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has any contact with the NTA on the issuing of bus licences on intercity routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6034/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) is the regulator of the bus market in Ireland.  Responsibility for the licensing of public bus passenger services was transferred from my Department to the NTA in 2010, under the provisions of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.  Accordingly, all licensing decisions fully rest with the NTA.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have no role in relation to the issuing of bus licenses on any routes, including inter city routes.  I have had no contact with the Authority in relation to the issuing of bus licences; I believe it would be inappropriate for me to do so.

On a wider but generally related matter, the Deputy may be aware that the NTA has recently submitted a review of Part 2 of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009 to my Department.  Part 2 of that Act relates to the operation of the bus licensing regime.  The findings of the NTA's  review are currently being considered by my Department.  The NTA's review is primarily concerned with procedural and compliance issues related to the licensing system and makes recommendations for certain legislative changes that would enable the NTA to deal more efficiently with its bus licensing functions.

Finally, the Deputy may recall that I was recently briefed by the NTA about the overall issue of its statutory powers to ensure continued public transport connectivity regardless of decisions taken by any individual operator. Indeed the NTA has offered Deputies the opportunity for similar briefing; some have availed of that opportunity and I would encourage others to do so.  The NTA has given assurances that it can intervene to assess the requirements of public transport services in any rural area, in consultation with local communities, and to establish the best means of providing such services.  It has done this in the past and will do so in the future. Accordingly, the NTA will ensure continued public transport connectivity for rural communities.