asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he intends to establish a Dublin transportation authority as outlined by the three local authorities in the Dublin region.

The establishment of a transportation authority for the Dublin area would be a major departure from current policy under which CIE are the principal provider of public passenger transport services in the State. A very thorough examination of present transport policy and the merits of alternatives would have to be made before such a major decision could be taken. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his separate question today on national transportation policy in which I indicate my general approach to policy review. While I would not at this stage entirely rule out any particular policy option, I am not convinced by any of the submissions I have seen to date that changes of an institutional or administrative nature would make a useful contribution to the solution of the problems which affect public transport in all major urban areas.

Might I suggest that firstly, the proposal outlined by the three local authorities, a proposal to which members of the Fianna Fáil Party subscribed, does not envisage a substantial change in the role of CIE. On the contrary it confirms the role of CIE. Secondly, the chairman of CIE, Mr. Devlin, indicated his broad support for such a concept. He stated on a number of occasions that until a body, as outlined in the policy framework of the authority, is established, CIE cannot reasonably aspire to cope with the public transport needs of Dublin city. I would urge the Minister to look at the second part of his reply and discuss the matter with his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Barrett. The situation in Dublin will not last unless a major initiative is taken——

The Deputy may not make a statement.

I urge the Minister to look at what the chairman of CIE said and at the actual proposals, which, according to his reply, he does not seem to have done.

I regret the juxta-position of the replies. I studied the proposals put forward by the three local authorities and I was not satisfied that they would create a more efficient or economic service, nor was I satisfied that very much research had gone into them. As I pointed out, I am not ruling out entirely any particular policy option at present.

Would the Minister agree with the existing paradox of the local authority situation whereby they have statutory responsibility for the provision of roads but have no statutory involvement with the public transport sector?

That is a separate question.

Not really. We are talking about a national transportation authority.

It is only remotely related.

That is your opinion.

It is my decision, not my opinion.

Arising from the Minister's remarks concerning the desire for a Dublin transportation authority as expressed by the three local authorities, which takes into account the difficulty of the local authority having statutory responsibility for roads—and for motorways if they ever come about— and not being involved in a statutory way with the provision of public transport, would the Minister envisage coming to grips with this problem?

The Deputy has underlined one aspect of the question. The whole question of the infrastructure, including roads, is involved as well as the question of a new transportation authority.

Would the Minister agree that there is a valid role for the local authority in a national transportation plan?

All I am referring to here is the transportation plan as outlined by the three local authorities to date.

That definitely specifies a role for local authorities.

Question No. 26.

26.