A new transport body for Dublin with strong executive powers is to be set up by the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, in a fresh attempt to bring about greater integration among the various services.
There are currently 17 public bodies or companies involved in transport in the city and the Minister wants them to answer to a new "high-powered" organisation which would operate along the lines of Transport for London.
There are a "whole plethora" of bodies shaping transport policy and they need to come under the umbrella of a new body called Dublin Transport, which would have its own brand and logo, like Transport for London, according to the Minister.
"I think we need a very strong overall transport body in situ. It's a very specific high-powered, really authoritative, transport body. They would plan, they would really get involved in managing the entire market. Okay you set policy from a Government perspective, but in terms of delivery and all of that they will manage it," he said in an interview with Business This Week.
"I believe if you are going to get a successful public transport system for Dublin, it has to be branded and managed like London Transport. So in other words all of them have to be 'Dublin Transport' whether its Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Metro, Luas or Dart," according to Mr Cullen.
He said that he will shortly bring reform to the area of the private bus market. The days of the Department issuing licences to bus companies for individual routes are coming to an end. "Clearly you need a structure like a regulator to deliver it. I don't think the Department issuing licences in future is the way to do it. You need an independent body to do it," he said.
A public transport commission, with responsibility for bus and rail routes is the favoured option of the Department in this area. This body could also take on responsibility for taxis and also fares on public transport.
The Minister also indicated that the Government will have an ongoing commitment to Aer Lingus even after selling a majority stake, probably next year.
The Minister said his view is that the Government should not accept any dilution of its stake below 25 per cent in future years.This is because at 25 per cent the Government would be able to block a complete takeover of the company.
Mr Cullen indicated that if future fundraisings take place the Government would have no option but to invest as a normal shareholder to ensure its 25 per cent stake is not reduced.
Asked would the Government invest in future fundraisings the Minister said: "We'd have to do that. If it's a strategic asset and a flag carrier for the Ireland brand in a wider sense, and not just an airline, there is a good reason for doing that". He added this was also the strong view of the Fianna Fáil party.
Mr Cullen said he was looking forward to the arrival in August of the new Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion. But warned that Aer Lingus should not seek to emulate Ryanair in the years ahead.
"I don't want a race to the bottom. It's not about, in my view, you know the €5 or €10 ticket. I think Aer Lingus has to be very cost efficient to compete, but it doesn't necessarily have to become an absolute carbon copy of Ryanair. I think there is another market out there," he said.
The Minister said he believed Aer Lingus needs to devote its future resources to developing a wider long-haul network. Mr Cullen sees no reason why Aer Lingus cannot fly in future to South Africa, Australia and Asia. A doubling of Aer Lingus's services into the US is "very much achievable", according to Mr Cullen.
