Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 November 2015
22. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is necessary to increase the levels of public subsidy to public transport services in order to safeguard public service obligation routes and, more generally, to increase the attractiveness of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39250/15]
View answerAs the Deputy knows, I have previously stated that one of my key goals was to stop the reduction in PSO funding to our public transport operators. Having protected the level of PSO subvention last year, I am very happy that increased PSO funding of €28 million was announced in the recent Budget, bringing the total PSO and Rural Transport funding in 2016 to €248 million. It will be the responsibility of the National Transport Authority (NTA) to gauge how best to allocate additional funding in response to priorities such as the new Phoenix Park tunnel services and DART service improvements and taking account of the role of the PSO operators under their contracts with the NTA.
As regards the attractiveness of public transport, the NTA is fully committed to continually improving the quality and attractiveness of public transport services and is also engaged in the development and deployment of technologies to make it easier to use public transport. The NTA has delivered a number of significant cross-operator initiatives such as real time information at bus stops, on Apps and online, the National Journey Planner, the Leap Card, investment in the bus fleet and on-board Wi-Fi, improved public transport maps and the reconfiguration of regional city bus services that to date includes Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford. Accessibility has also been greatly improved through the addition of on-board displays and announcements of the next bus stop.
In addition, with the launch of the Government's Capital Plan last September, over the next 7 years, I am planning an annual investment in land transport rising from just over €1 billion to €1.9 billion by 2022. Under the Plan the public transport programme will reach €3.6bn to include new and replacement buses, completion of the Luas Cross City project and the reopening of the Phoenix Park tunnel.
