Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2354. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of funding for all three CIÉ companies since 2008 to date on the basis of PSO funding for non-commercial services, capital funding and other funding, whether capital or current. [32080/19]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport in Ireland. The Exchequer allocates funding for the purposes of both capital and current expenditure from the Department's Vote to the National Transport Authority (NTA) for allocation to the transport operators for the provision of public transport services and infrastructure.
My Department allocated PSO funding to the three CIÉ companies in 2008 and 2009 as follows:
|
Year |
Iarnród Éireann (€m) |
Bus Éireann (€m) |
Bus Átha Cliath (€m) |
|
2008 |
181 |
42 |
86 |
|
2009 |
171 |
49 |
83 |
Since 2010, the PSO subvention is no longer paid directly by my Department to transport operators. The award and subvention of PSO contracts now falls under the statutory remit of the NTA. The allocations to the transport companies are decided by the NTA in exercise of its statutory mandate and in accordance with the various contract arrangements that it has in place with PSO service providers. I have, therefore, forwarded the Deputy's question relating to PSO payments to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
As the Deputy is aware, the Infrastructure Manager Multi-Annual Contract (or IMMAC) provides the funding framework for the maintenance and renewal of our railway infrastructure and is a statutory contractual agreement between the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Iarnród Éireann. The allocations from 2008 to 2019 inclusive can be seen in the tables below.
The increases I secured in Budget 2019 mean that the Exchequer contribution to the IMMAC has increased this year to €197million, thus ensuring that the steady state funding requirement (as measured on an annualised basis) is met for 2019. This represents significant, and very welcome, progress in terms of the overall funding of the network and means that funding for the IMMAC as increased by 23% as compared with 2018.
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
|
€ 140m# |
€ 144m |
€ 134m* |
€ 159m |
€ 160m |
€ 197m |
#includes €10.7 current funding on top of IMMAC €129.8 capital funding;
*extra €8m for storm damage under IMMAC.
Similar funding to CIÉ prior to the creation of the IMMAC in 2014 was through the Rail Safety Programme (RSP). The figures for the RSP for the period 2008 to 2013 are as follows:
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
€ 122m |
€ 113m |
€ 1080m |
€ 119m |
€ 102m |
€ 90m |
Separately, capital funding is also provided to Iarnród Éireann, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann through the National Transport Authority (NTA). This programme supports projects such as the continued planning and design of the DART Expansion Programme, the City Centre Resignalling Project, the replacement of the roof at Pearse Station, the development of the new National Train Control Centre, bus fleet purchases and various other enhancement projects.
As this funding programme is managed by the NTA, I have referred the Deputy's question to it for direct reply. Please inform my private office if you do you receive a reply within 10 days.
