Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 January 2010
820 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount of compensation received annually since 2000 by CIE broken down by company, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann for transporting passengers with free travel passes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2230/10]
View answerThe Department pays the CIE Group centrally in respect of transport services provided by the Group companies for pensioners and other groups eligible under the Free Travel scheme. The apportionment of payment between the three constituent companies, Bus Eireann, Bus Atha Cliath and Iarnród Eireann is a matter for the CIE Group to determine. Payments made to the CIE Group since 2000 are as follows:
|
Year |
Amount paid |
|
€000’s |
|
|
2000 |
40,450,467 |
|
2001 |
41,530,850 |
|
2002 |
41,806,029 |
|
2003 |
45,776,164 |
|
2004 |
46,791,313 |
|
2005 |
48,884,577 |
|
2006 |
50,334,031 |
|
2007 |
52,367,167 |
|
2008 |
56,210,748 |
|
*2009 |
60,981,464 |
*2009 Figures are provisional.
821 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Defence the insurance compensation received following the sinking of the Asgard II and the manner in which it will be utilised; the status of the Coiste An Asgard sail training programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48245/09]
View answerIn the context of settling the Estimates for my Department for 2010, the Government decided that the national sail training scheme operated by Coiste an Asgard would be discontinued as recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure.
The decision to discontinue the scheme was a difficult one. I am conscious of the fact that it will come as a great disappointment to many. However, the reality is that in the current difficult economic situation there is no option but to make reductions in all areas of public expenditure, including Defence. In that regard my priority is to ensure that the Defence Forces have the resources to discharge their allotted tasks at home and abroad. The sum of €3.8m representing the insured value of Asgard II has been transferred to the Department of Finance as Extra Exchequer Receipts.
