Eleven new licences for bus routes in the Dublin area have been announced by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke.
Additional licences will be granted in the autumn which the Minister said would be likely to lead to further increases in the number of private bus operators in Dublin.
At present just one private company is licensed to operate in Dublin. That company, AirCoach, has been granted five of the new licences, which were shared out among four operators. Five of the new licences granted will allow operators to provide scheduled bus services from Newcastle to Tallaght; Tallaght to Dublin Airport; Naas to the Liffey Valley Centre; Rathcoole to Dublin Airport; and Blanchardstown to Swords.
A further five licences will be issued for premium services linking Greystones, Leopardstown, Tallaght, Rathgar and the Dublin Docklands Area directly to Dublin Airport. An occasional licence will also permit a bus service along the quays on set dates to cater for people wishing to travel to the Point Theatre.
Ms O'Rourke said the private operators would be expected to begin operating services as soon as possible. Providing better public transport links was the best way to help ease Dublin's traffic congestion problems, she said.
"These licences will allow private sector operators to take an active role in enhancing the network of services and routes available in the greater Dublin area, as well as an improved level of service along key orbital routes to the west of the city," she explained.
She said guidelines for consideration of licence applications under the Road Transport Act 1932 were currently being revised.