Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 September 2020
78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the additional public funding provided to Bus Éireann, Irish Rail and Dublin Bus in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22791/20]
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. In Budget 2020, an overall allocation of €1 billion was secured to fund public and sustainable transport projects this year.
Since 2010, the award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding falls under the independent statutory remit of the NTA. The allocations to the 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.
The sharp decline in passenger numbers since mid-March this year as a result of the Covid-19 health emergency has caused an unprecedented fall in fare revenues, thus creating a wide gap between the operators' costs and actual revenues. This has put acute pressure on the existing Public Service Obligation (PSO) budget. In response to this situation, and in recognition of the role of public transport as an essential service and in facilitating the Government's Roadmap for Re-opening Society and Business, on 4 June the Government decided to make a substantial increase to the 2020 total PSO allocation, in order to enable the continuation of PSO services for the full year.
In view of the above and the NTA's role in allocating transport funding to individual transport operators, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please inform my private office if you do you receive a reply within ten days.
