DTA Bill Thread

trellheim

Started in anticipation

Here's the kickoff. Dail Questions 6 March

Proposed Legislation.
32. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Transport when he will publish the legislation
establishing the Dublin Transport Authority; the proposed heads of the Dublin Transport
Authority Bill; when he will publish the Public Transport Regulation Bill, the Bus Licensing
Bill and the Road Traffic Bill; the purpose and heads of each of these bills; and if he will make
a statement on the matter. [9633/08]
Minister for Transport (Deputy Noel Dempsey): It is my intention to publish the Dublin
Transport Authority Bill, to provide for the establishment of a transport authority for the
Greater Dublin Area, in April 2008.
The primary focus of the proposed Public Transport Regulation Bill will be to deliver on the
Programme for Government commitment to improving bus services under ‘Transport 21’ by
reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932 and the Transport Act
1958 to facilitate the optimum provision of services by providing a level playing field for all
bus market participants, both public and private. At this stage it is too early to be precise on
the detail of the proposals except to confirm that any new licensing regime will be designed in
a manner consistent with the new EU Regulation on Public Service Obligations in the transport
sector, which was adopted in 2007 and will come into force in December 2009.
Work is at an early stage on the drafting of a Road Traffic Bill 2008. It is hoped to bring
proposals to Government in the summer. The Bill will deal with a number of road safety issues
including a reduction in the blood alcohol level.

trellheim

Here's another bit [ you can tell I'm posting this as I read it !! :pac: ]

59. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to introduce
measures to protect rail commuters from unscheduled and last minute train cancellations under
the new Public Transport Regulation Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9639/08]
Minister for Transport (Deputy Noel Dempsey): The issue of train service delays is currently
dealt with under Iarnro´d E´ ireann’s customer charter, which is available on the company’s
website. It is my intention that the forthcoming Dublin Transport Authority Bill and the Public
Transport Regulation Bill will introduce a contracting regime governing a range of customer
and operational issues.

niall2j

I'm loosely aware of the importance of establishing the DTA in order to achieve so many of the goals for the Dublin area in T21. Does this mean significant steps are now being taken to make this happen in the near future? It could bode well for integrated ticketing?

Carawaystick

Noel Dempsey wrote: »

The primary focus of the proposed Public Transport Regulation Bill will be to deliver on the
Programme for Government commitment to improving bus services under ‘Transport 21’ by
reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932 and the Transport Act
1958 to facilitate the optimum provision of services

Does he mean optimum for the citizens wishing to get somewhere else or optimum for the companies running the services....

trellheim

I'm loosely aware of the importance of establishing the DTA in order to achieve so many of the goals for the Dublin area in T21. Does this mean significant steps are now being taken to make this happen in the near future? It could bode well for integrated ticketing?

All it currently means is the parliamentary draughtsment in DOT are burning the candles into the night while Julie has brainwaves e.g

no preliminary draft is out which is worrying since it's either gonna be a seismic change or a damp squib

AlekSmart

Correct me if I`m wrong,but is Julie not on record as saying that it`s the Integrated Ticketing chaos that`s giving her sleepless nights...literally !

Or more specifically,the 11th hour decision by the Dept of Social and Community Affairs to "Integrate" it`s Free Travel Scheme into the "Smart Card" system,a decision which it seems caught many off-guard as it immediately broadens the entire geographical scope of the "Thing" that SmartCard Eireann has become...

The reality of April 2nd`s announcement is going to be as Trellheim describes it....a Business as Usual damp squib for some,but a very large seismic rumble for others :eek:

trellheim

transport committee debate 12 Mar 08

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=TRJ20080312.XML&Node=H3#H3

Notable for :

first mention of the 'Big Dig' which we've been waiting for

solid commitment to the Trinity/Westmoreland St public transport only area

and others ....

knock yourselves out...

trellheim

transport committee debate 12 Mar 08

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=TRJ20080312.XML&Node=H3#H3

Notable for :

first mention of the 'Big Dig' which we've been waiting for

solid commitment to the Trinity/Westmoreland St public transport only area

and others ....

knock yourselves out...

watch for the sneaky BX abandonment and [ whoops ] later on when the speaker realizes that he shouldn't say stuff like that.

DWCommuter

These committees are a joke. Ive been there. Great talking shops and after that it all gets lost in an archive somewhere. The cabinet only take what they need or have an agenda to introduce.

Victor

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=10557&lang=ENG&loc=2261

SEANAD ÉIREAN DUBLIN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY BILL 2008 Second Stage – 23 April 2008 Speech by Mr. Noel Dempsey, T.D., Minister for Transport

23 April 2008
Introduction

I am pleased to introduce the Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008 for the consideration of the House. The main purpose of this Bill is to put a single public body in overall charge of surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area.

Simply put, the objective of this Bill is to ensure that people living and working in the Greater Dublin Area will in future have a high quality, integrated transport system that meets their needs in a sustainable way.

Context

The Greater Dublin Area or GDA is the most densely populated and traffic congested region within the State. It comprises 7 local authorities: Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Kildare. It has an area of just under 7,000 square kilometres and in 2006 had a population of 1.66 million people or almost 40% of the State's total population. In 2006, a total of 836,000 vehicles were registered with local authorities in the GDA.

The people of this area and its business community need a transport system that is integrated, efficient and effective. And that is the mandate I want to give to the Dublin Transport Authority.

Transport 21

When we launched the 10-year, €34 billion capital Transport 21 investment framework in November 2005, we recognised the need for institutional as well as infrastructural renewal.

Policy Priorities and Main Areas of Responsibility

As I indicated at the outset the new Authority will have overall responsibility for surface transport in the Greater Dublin Area, subject to direction by Government in respect of significant policy issues. The proposals contained in the Bill have been guided by a number of policy priorities -

They are designed to ensure the timely and cost effective implementation of the public transport infrastructure projects in Transport 21.
They seek to ensure that there is effective integration of public transport infrastructure and services.
They aim to ensure that services are organised in a manner that optimises the benefits arising from the almost doubling of capacity on the public transport system under Transport 21.
They include provisions to better align the transport and land use planning processes to ensure that both operate closely together to best meet the future needs of the GDA.
In order to effectively deliver on these policy objectives, the Dublin Transport Authority will be given a wide range of functions covering strategic transport planning, the procurement of infrastructure and services and better integration and traffic management. The Authority will also allocate capital and current funding for public transport and traffic management.

The Authority will be responsible for strategic transport planning in the Greater Dublin Area. It will set out the strategic framework for the delivery of infrastructure and services in a strategic transport plan covering a 12 to 20 year period. This will be consistent with Transport 21 and build on the Dublin Transportation Initiative and Dublin Transportation Office's A Platform for Change. It will also prepare a 6-year implementation plan, which will translate the transport strategy into action. Both the strategic transport plan and implementation plan will be subject to Ministerial approval.

The Authority will procure public transport services, which are subject to public service obligations in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of EU law. This will enable the Authority to ensure the integration of services and will provide a new framework to hold service providers to account for the quality of services provided to the public.

It will regulate public transport fares and have powers to ensure the delivery of integrated ticketing and fares and public transport information schemes.

It will prepare a strategic traffic management plan for the region so as to ensure a consistent approach across all local authority areas, including during construction works for major infrastructure projects. The role of the Gardai in traffic enforcement will remain unchanged.

Public Transport Services

The Government is committed to a radical improvement of public transport services in the GDA. Moreover, we are wholeheartedly committed to obtaining best value for the travelling public and the taxpayer from the significant subvention being provided by the Exchequer for public bus services operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann in the GDA.

The Bill provides for the use of performance-based public service contracts for bus and rail public transport services in the Greater Dublin Area. The contracts will set out clearly the services being provided and the payments to support those services. These provisions are in line with the new regime introduced under the new EU Regulation on public service obligations in the transport sector, which becomes mandatory from next year.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to improving bus services under Transport 21 by reforming the bus licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932 to facilitate the optimum provision of services. It is my intention that proposals for a new bus-licensing regime will follow in subsequent legislative proposals. The new licensing regime will be designed in a manner consistent with the new EU Regulation. In the meantime applications for new bus licences and notifications from the State bus operators will continue to be processed under the licensing provisions of the Road Transport Act 1932 and the notification system under the Transport Act 1958.

Delivery of Public Transport Infrastructure

To deliver on our commitment to improved public transport services, we need to undertake a major programme of infrastructural investment. The Bill includes strong provisions which are modelled on the powers which have been so successfully used by the National Roads Authority. The powers of the Dublin Transport Authority set out in the legislation can be summarised as follows:

The DTA will have responsibility for the allocation of Exchequer funds for public transport infrastructure projects;

The DTA will be required to endeavour to deliver public transport infrastructure projects through existing agencies. However, if it considers it more convenient, expeditious, effective or economical to do so it can deliver a project itself;

The DTA can issue a direction to a transport agency requiring it to deliver or take a particular action in delivering a project. Should the transport agency refuse, the DTA can "step-in" and take over the project itself.

Public Transport Integration

A major objective of this legislation is the delivery of an integrated public transport network. This will be achieved in a number of ways:

The DTA is being obliged to implement a single public transport brand. We are all familiar with the Transport for London brand, which is used by a multitude of operators and across public transport modes.

The DTA will take over direct responsibility for integrated ticketing. It will also have responsibility for developing an integrated information system, providing a single integrated source of travel planning information for public transport users.

Its infrastructure powers will enable it to ensure the delivery of public transport interchange and park and ride facilities.

Integration of Transport and Land Use Planning

Achieving greater integration of transport and land use planning is central to the success of these proposals. My objective is to ensure delivery of a common strategic sustainable transport focus between local authorities in the Greater Dublin Area and the new Dublin Transport Authority through maximising consistency between regional planning guidelines, local authority development plans and local area plans, and the DTA's transport strategy. That can only be achieved if a balance is struck which ensures that transport considerations are fully addressed as part of land use planning while respecting the existing democratic accountability of the planning process.

My proposals seek to give an equitable share of responsibilities to the planning authorities on the one hand, to engage with the development of the transport strategy and implementation plan, and to the DTA, on the other hand, to engage in the formulation of the regional, county and local planning processes.

A series of technical amendments are proposed to the Planning and Development Act 2000 to allow the Dublin Transport Authority make key inputs at every stage of the preparation and review of Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area, thereby ensuring that they are closely aligned with the Authority's transport strategy. A balancing provision allows the Regional Authorities to influence the formation of the Authority's transport strategy to make sure that it is consistent with the Regional Planning Guidelines.

Similar arrangements will apply to ensure local authority development plans and local area plans will be consistent with the Dublin Transport Authority's strategic transport plan.

Additional powers will also be given to the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to intervene, if required, to ensure that regional planning guidelines, development plans and local area plans are consistent with the transport strategy prepared for the Greater Dublin Area by the Dublin Transport Authority. A balancing power is given to the Minister for Transport to intervene, if required, to ensure that the transport strategy is consistent with the planning policies.

Additionally, developers of prescribed classes of development will be required to submit transport impact assessments as part of the planning process and planning authorities will be required by law to satisfy themselves that such developments are consistent with the Authority's transport strategy.

These proposals will provide, in my view, workable and effective arrangements to better integrate transport and land use planning to ensure the full benefits of a more accessible city and hinterland envisioned under Transport 21 are realised for people living and working in the Greater Dublin Area.

Railway Procurement Agency

Following my appointment as Transport Minister in June 2007 I decided to initiate a review of the draft legislation having regard to the commitments in the Agreed Programme for Government and also the length of time that had passed since the Establishment Team had completed its report.

In the intervening period the Railway Procurement Agency had made major progress on the important projects assigned to it under Transport 21, particularly Metro North. I became concerned that absorption of the RPA by the Authority could jeopardise the ongoing PPP procurement process in respect of Metro North, which is at a critical and sensitive juncture. So I have decided to leave the RPA outside the Authority. The Authority will have precisely the same relationship with the RPA as it will have with Irish Rail, which is the other rail procurement body in the GDA. I am also satisfied that the benefit of providing organisational continuity in respect of the Metro North procurement process far outweigh any other benefits could have accrued from pursuing other options regarding the relationship between the RPA and the Authority.

Commission for Taxi Regulation

The Bill before the House is incomplete in one respect. The original proposals for the Dublin Transport Authority did not impact significantly on the issue of taxi and hackney services. Accordingly the Bill before you simply provides for the DTA and the Commission for Taxi Regulation to have regard to each other's policies and plans and to jointly engage where actions by one body are likely to impact on the responsibilities of the other.

However, taxi and hackney services in the Greater Dublin Area clearly comprise a significant element of public transport in the area, as well as making up a substantial part of the national taxi and hackney fleet. Accordingly, the Government came to the view that, in light of the significant commonality of purpose and interest between the DTA and the Commission for Taxi Regulation, the Commission should be absorbed into the DTA. In addition the new arrangement will have the advantage of achieving administrative efficiencies.

My Department is preparing the necessary amendments to the Bill for this purpose. However, this will take a little time. Accordingly, I anticipate that it will only be possible to introduce the necessary amendments at Committee Stage in the Dáil. The Seanad will have the opportunity to discuss them when it considers Dáil amendments.

Interim Authority

My predecessor appointed Tom Mulcahy as Chair of the Interim Dublin Transport Authority. In the light of my decision to retain the RPA Mr. Mulcahy will retain his position as DTA Chairman-designate but he will relinquish his position as RPA Chairman in due course. I wish to acknowledge the very important contribution he has made in that capacity over the last 14 months.

I will shortly be appointing the other members of an interim Dublin Transport Authority whose remit will be to prepare for the establishment of the new Authority.

Once the chief executive-designate is in place the interim Authority will be able to consider the staffing and financial requirements of the Authority, initiate the recruitment of staff, source office accommodation and put in place the necessary support systems with a view to ensuring that the Authority is in a position to "hit the ground running" once the legislation is enacted.

Contents of Bill

I now propose to outline the main provisions of the Bill. As this is a lengthy Bill, I propose to highlight the main provisions in each Part only. The members of the House received an Explanatory and Financial Memorandum with the Bill, which briefly explains the purpose of each of the Bill's 114 sections.

Part 1 deals with Preliminary and General matters and concerns certain standard legislative provisions.

Part 2 concerns the Dublin Transport Authority. Chapter 1 of Part 2 concerns arrangements for the establishment of the Authority. Sections 10 and 11 set out the general objectives to be pursued by the Authority and its principal functions.

Under section 12 the Authority is required to prepare a transport strategy identifying the strategic transport requirements for the Greater Dublin Area. The DTA will 'inherit' the work currently being undertaken by the Dublin Transportation Office on the development of a transport strategy for the Greater Dublin Area to succeed A Platform for Change.

The Authority is also required under section 13 to prepare a 6-year integrated implementation plan setting out the priorities, actions and objectives of the Authority in relation to the provision of public transport infrastructure and services. This plan is designed to translate strategy into action.

Chapter 2 of Part 2 sets out the structure and governance arrangements of the Authority. Under section 14 the Authority will comprise ten members appointed by the Minister, three of whom will be executive directors consisting of the chief executive officer and two senior managers. The Dublin City Manager will be appointed in an ex-officio capacity. The remaining six non-executive, part-time members must be people with relevant experience.

The Establishment Team's report recommended the use of an independent nomination panel to recommend to the Minister persons for appointment to the Authority. However, the previous Government took the firm view that there should be strong accountability by the Authority to the Minister of the day and to Government given the large amount of taxpayers' money being allocated to the Authority and that such accountability is best met by the direct selection and appointment of the board by the Minister. I believe that is the correct approach.

Section 17 provides for the appointment by the Minister of a 13-member Advisory Council, which will scrutinise the work of the Authority. Membership of the Advisory Council will comprise the Dublin City Manager and 2 County Managers from the GDA or their nominated officers, 4 elected members of the Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities, a member of the Garda Siochána and 4 ordinary members nominated by representative organisations.

The Establishment Team recommended that the Authority should have a statutory Advisory Council chaired by the Authority's Chairperson with 29 other members comprising City and County Managers, elected members of local authorities and representatives of sectors such as the community and business sectors. However, I was concerned that such a large Council could be unwieldy and ineffective. Accordingly I decided to opt for a streamlined Advisory Council with an independent chairperson. I am satisfied that the revisions I have made will ensure that the Advisory Council can undertake its functions effectively and efficiently.

Chapter 2 of Part 2 incorporates important provisions concerning the duty of the Authority to implement Government policy and its accountability to the Minister, Government and the Oireachtas. The Minister will have the power to issue policy directions and guidelines to the Authority regarding any of its functions. Compliance with policy directions will be mandatory.

In addition there is a statutory obligation on the Chairperson and Chief Executive under section 41 to appear before Oireachtas Committees. The DTA accounts will be subject to annual audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

As I already mentioned the Authority will be grant-aided through my Department. The Authority will also be permitted to borrow up to an aggregate limit of €1 billion and those borrowings may be guaranteed by the Minister for Finance, subject to appropriate terms and conditions.

Part 3 comprises 6 Chapters dealing with various aspects of the transport system. Chapter 1 sets out the functions of the Authority with regard to the provision of public transport infrastructure. It is being given responsibility for the procurement of public transport infrastructure. However, in the normal course of events the Authority will procure infrastructure through the existing statutory agencies such as Irish Rail in respect of suburban heavy rail and the Railway Procurement Agency in respect of light rail and metro. The Authority will also allocate funding to those bodies or agencies.

Chapter 2 establishes for the first time in Irish law a performance related contract regime for the procurement of public transport services. The Chapter is drafted in a manner consistent with EC Regulation No. 1370/2007 which will have direct application in Irish law from next year.

I intend later in the year to bring forward a Bill to modernise the licensing regime for bus services in line with the commitments in the Agreed Programme for Government. The Bill will deal with the replacement of the Road Transport 1932 Act and the provisions of the Transport Act 1958 in relation to bus services.

Sections 48, 49 and 50 of the Bill enable the Authority to procure public passenger transport services by means of contracts and set out the main provisions that are to be included in such contracts. Incentive clauses for exceeding specified performance standards, as well as financial or other penalties for non-compliance with contract requirements are also provided for. In the case of rail services, the Authority will engage in direct award contracts with Irish Rail. Light rail and metro services will be procured by way of open public tendering. Bus services will be procured by way of open public tendering and direct award contracts.

Section 52 establishes the basis for the continued provision of the existing bus services provided by Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus in the GDA and for the ongoing operation by Irish Rail of rail services in that area. The section gives the two bus companies exclusive rights to continue to provide those services, except in the case where licences for commercial bus services are issued to private operators under the Road Transport Act 1932. The Authority must enter into direct award contracts with the three CIÉ companies. However, given their exclusive nature, these contracts must be reviewed from time to time to ensure conformity with EU law. These contracts are renewable after 5 years in the case of bus services and 10 years in the case of rail services. The Minister still retains the effective shareholder interest in CIÉ and the fiduciary responsibilities of the members of the Board and the subsidiaries are still retained. The boards of CIÉ and its subsidiaries will still report to the Minister.

Section 56 is a contingency provision, which empowers the Authority to provide public passenger transport services in circumstances where a transport operator fails to meet or is unable to meet the terms and conditions of a contract.

Chapter 3 of Part 3 contains a series of important provisions designed to progress the development of a fully integrated transport system in the GDA, which is of course a key reason for establishing the new Authority. Accordingly, the DTA will be responsible for, in particular,

developing a single brand for public transport in the GDA;
delivery of the integrated ticketing project;
establishing an integrated information system for public transport services across the GDA;
Chapter 4 of Part 3 concerns traffic management. The Authority will be responsible for deciding the 'big picture' and the individual local authorities will continue to be responsible for implementation. The Authority will, at 6 yearly intervals, prepare and adopt a strategic traffic management plan for the Greater Dublin Area. The road authorities within the GDA must, prepare local traffic plans that are consistent with the Authority's strategic plan. The Authority will have the power to give directions to road authorities for the purpose of ensuring the implementation of its traffic plan. The Authority may also issue traffic management guidelines to road authorities.

The development of more sustainable transport and travel has a critical role to play in enabling Ireland to meet its international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, Chapter 4 also obliges the Authority to implement appropriate demand management measures. While the introduction of congestion charging in the GDA is not provided for at this stage, the Authority will be required to keep the position generally under review and may make recommendations to the Minister if it considers that additional demand management measures are required. I am currently working on a Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan and this may identify further measures which need to be pursued.

Chapter 5 of Part 3 requires the Authority to collect and publish information and statistics concerning matters relating to its functions. The Bill obliges the Authority, at a minimum, to produce information on the numbers using different transport modes, travel times to work and satisfaction levels with public transport services. However, the Authority can go beyond that at its own initiative or at the behest of the Minister. The Authority is also empowered to engage in, and fund, research on transport.

Chapter 6 of Part 3 concerns the relationships between the DTA and other transport agencies in the GDA. For example, the NRA is obliged to consult the Authority in exercising its functions in the GDA and generally to act in a manner that is consistent with the DTA's transport strategy and the Authority may give directions to the NRA for that purpose.

Part 4 contains a number of provisions relating to enforcement. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and I have worked closely together over the past few months to ensure that Part 5 of the Bill contains appropriate provisions to integrate land use and transport planning. The procedures in the Bill will ensure that there is consistency between regional planning guidelines, development plans and local area plans on the one hand and the DTA's transport strategy on the other. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will have strong powers to enforce this consistency if required.

Part 6 provides for the dissolution of the Dublin Transportation Office by Ministerial Order and the transfer of its staff, contracts, rights and liabilities to the Authority. Staff of the DTO will be entitled to terms and conditions of employment with the Authority that are no less favourable than they were with the DTO.

The final Part of the Bill, Part 7, provides for the appointment by the Minister of the boards of Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail. This Part also provides that CIÉ property disposal should be subject to the consent of the Minister which is consistent with Department of Finance guidelines in respect of State bodies.

Conclusion

I am satisfied that the establishment of the new Authority will streamline and strengthen the decision making process in respect of the planning and provision of transport services and infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area. It will also strengthen the interaction between land use planning and transport.

The new Authority will have a clear mandate and the necessary powers to deliver on it, but will also be fully accountable to the Minister for Transport and to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

I commend the Bill to the House.

Victor

Green Paper on Local Government Reform - Stronger Local Democracy- Options for Change April 2008 (pdf, 1,230 kb)

icdg

That's interesting news, the bill hardly off the presses and already a major amendment with the taxi proposals.

I'd be concerned though from a democratic point of view if a body whose mandate was primarly Dublin based had powers of taxis throughout the country, as is the implication above.

His explaination regarding the non-winding up of the RPA doesn't wash. Comparing it to Irish Rail is not a fair comparision, Irish Rail is a vertically integrated railway responsible for both management and operations, wheras the RPA manages the Luas but contracts out significant amount of its operation to a franchisee. Under the DTA the RPA becomes essentially a middleman, and is an unneeded layer of buearaucracy.

AlekSmart

There is something quite scary about certain sections of this resumè.....odd little items that possess a certain element of Graham Linehan about them....

Quote Àn t-Aire:

[ "Additional powers will also be given to the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to intervene, if required, to ensure that regional planning guidelines, development plans and local area plans are consistent with the transport strategy prepared for the Greater Dublin Area by the Dublin Transport Authority. A balancing power is given to the Minister for Transport to intervene, if required, to ensure that the transport strategy is consistent with the planning policies."]

So....The DTA already being lined up as a boxing-match promoter,tasked with arranging bouts bewteen Ministers for the Environment and Transport on a wide variety of issues..?

Why the need for this "Balancing Power" mallarkey....surely the DTA either impliments Government Public Transport policy or it does`nt..??

Ah yes here we are...or are we ?? ....
Quote [ "Chapter 2 of Part 2 incorporates important provisions concerning the duty of the Authority to implement Government policy and its accountability to the Minister, Government and the Oireachtas. The Minister will have the power to issue policy directions and guidelines to the Authority regarding any of its functions. Compliance with policy directions will be mandatory."]

And yet more "Balance".....

Quote [ " A series of technical amendments are proposed to the Planning and Development Act 2000 to allow the Dublin Transport Authority make key inputs at every stage of the preparation and review of Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area, thereby ensuring that they are closely aligned with the Authority's transport strategy. A balancing provision allows the Regional Authorities to influence the formation of the Authority's transport strategy to make sure that it is consistent with the Regional Planning Guidelines.

Similar arrangements will apply to ensure local authority development plans and local area plans will be consistent with the Dublin Transport Authority's strategic transport plan.

This all points to a veritable certainty of endless Administrative Turf-Wars over policy,territory and much else....:o

What can one say to this.....

Quote [" The Bill before the House is incomplete in one respect. The original proposals for the Dublin Transport Authority did not impact significantly on the issue of taxi and hackney services. Accordingly the Bill before you simply provides for the DTA and the Commission for Taxi Regulation to have regard to each other's policies and plans and to jointly engage where actions by one body are likely to impact on the responsibilities of the other."]

How many man-hours went into this piece of leglislation ?
Are we now to understand that the Minister or his Draughtspeople simply "forgot all about them oul Taxi`s".....:)

All very odd Watson !!

However as with most Political stuff...the best bit is at the very end,only spotted by those who read from the back forwards.......:eek:

Quote [" The final Part of the Bill, Part 7, provides for the appointment by the Minister of the boards of Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail. This Part also provides that CIÉ property disposal should be subject to the consent of the Minister which is consistent with Department of Finance guidelines in respect of State bodies."]

Yes I have little doubt but that the relevant Minister will be required to "consent" to quite a bit of property disposal...