Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 December 2013
241. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify the analysis he utilised when he stated in August 2013 that no Dublin Bus route was making a profit; if he will publish this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53503/13]
View answerThe Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus services provided by Dublin Bus are provided under contract from the National Transport Authority (NTA). I was relying on the briefing provided by both Dublin Bus and the NTA when I made that statement in relation to PSO bus services operated by Dublin Bus. As the Deputy will be aware, all of the PSO services provided by Dublin Bus are loss making requiring subvention. If they were not loss making, they would not be eligible for subvention. While the vast majority of the services operated by Dublin Bus are PSO services, it also has some limited purely commercial services such as Airlink and Dublin Bus Tours which operate without subvention. Without the level of PSO subvention, in addition to free travel payments and capital funding, the company and the PSO services it provides would incur unsustainable losses.
In relation to providing further information on the performance of Dublin Bus's PSO network, I have referred the question to the NTA for further response. If the Deputy does not receive a response within ten working days, please contact my private office.
