Once again Fine Gael has missed the bus - Dooley

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Timmy Dooley, has said that Fine Gael’s proposals on bus competition reform which were published today "are irrelevant and simply replicate measures the Government have already proposed in its Public Transportation Bill 2009. Clearly Fine Gael have once again missed the bus when it comes to bringing forward relevant proposals."

"The Public Transportation Bill 2009, presented in the Dáil today by the Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, will provide a level playing field for all bus operators. The new common licensing regime will mean consumer needs are put centre stage when applications for bus licences are considered."

"The issuing and administration of all bus route licence will transfer from the Department of Transport to the new Dublin Transport Authority leading to a faster, more integrated, efficient system for granting licences. Most significantly, it will have extensive powers to penalise companies and revoke licences for poor performance."

"The new contract regime will also set strict standards for operators in terms of frequency, reliability, efficiency and cost as well as such customer issues as cleanliness, ticketing and real time passenger information."

"All new licences for State subvented routes will be put out to tender meaning all public and private operators will for the first time be able to apply to win the right to operate these subvented routes."

"Instead, Fine Gael proposes a free for all approach to bus licensing, one which has been found not to work in other countries. It is for this reason, the Government adopted the principle of ‘regulated competition'."

"I very much welcome the new Public Transportation Bill and I believe it offers real reform of the bus licensing system. There is no doubt it will create better quality bus services with customer needs as the number one priority." Deputy Dooley concluded.