Folks, I noted last night that the BE twitter feed was making much of the publication of the results of an EU commission investigation into the awarding of contracts and funding of BE/DB which was instigated in 2007 following a complaint by the Coach Tourism and Transport Council (CTTC).  Interesting first that we thought Ireland had exclusive rights to long drawn out tribunals - this took 7 years to conclude!

The CTTC lodged 3 complaints at the time:
- Issues around the payment of PSO funding to BE/DB and use of PSO monies to purchase buses
- Direct award of school contracts
- State funding for driver training

Reading the EU press release - http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1161_en.htm - I would see that both sides are going to issue carefully worded statements claiming they are the victor.  That said, we have seen massive changes in recent years with BE/DB and as a result of this I would imagine even more massive change is due.

In summary, how I read the report conclusions are as follows:
1- Re PSO funding - No issue now as changes have been made since December 2009 and we are moving to a tendered model.  I would expect more polictical pressure from both within and without the state on the basis of this report to ramp up from the 10% piece meal toe-in-the-water initial move by the NTA & Government - but that's my opinion and speculation based on the sentiment of the press release
2- School Contract - Basically BE are claiming victory as the commission is satisfied this was "existing aid" which predated EU regulations.  The CTTC is going to claim victory in that although the commission accepts this was "existing aid" they are now pushing for a process to begin to bring the whole regime in line with EU regulations.  For anyone who is unsure what that means, the first thing is that there will have to be a tender process, i.e. BE will not just be awarded the contract worth 100's of millions of Euro's.  If and when that happens it will be a massive blow to BE as, no matter how it is spun, the "management fee" BE claim for the school contracts at the minute alone will be a crippling loss to their coffers.  Expect STS to be ressurrected and be jumping all over this.  BE PR machine already active on twitter claiming victory, article on the Journal.ie last night spinning it the opposite way - http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/school-transport-scheme-1725732-Oct2014/, I am expecting a CTTC press release any time soon claiming victory!
3- Staff Training - No great detail on this other than Commission seemed to have no great issue with it.

This will be interesting in the medium to long term as I beleive there will now be pressure and some level of political appettite to revise the amount of PSO routes out to tender (possibly based on if round 1 is a success), plus I can foresee massive changes to the award of the schools transport contract in years to come.  If there are any prosecutions out of the ongoing Garda investigation into the Mail on Sunday school bus subcontract bribery claims then that will be used, I predict, as a football to speed up the tendering of the school transport scheme.

I'm undecided if any of this is positive in the long term for the greater good, I would certainly see it as being of little consequence to BE in the short term but massive consequence in the medium/long term.  BE are claiming the win, I expect CTTC will claim the win and I expect the likes of STS will be looking to ctach the fall out.  That is my speculative opinion based on my reading of the published material so far - all other opinions welcome!