Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 September 2020
22. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Transport if he has had engagement with the National Transport Authority in relation to tax-saver tickets and potential changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25861/20]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport in Ireland. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services.
In relation to the issue raised by the Deputy, the NTA has informed me that customers who have an annual TaxSaver ticket for public service obligation (PSO) public transport services provided by Dublin Bus, Luas, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann and Go-Ahead Ireland are to have their tickets extended for a period of six months, in recognition of the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions. This effectively gives customers back the value of the portion of the ticket that they would not have been able to use due to Covid-19. The measure applies to all customers whose tickets were valid on April 1st 2020. Customers who have renewed their annual TaxSaver ticket since April 1st will also benefit from the measures.
Where the customer wishes to receive a refund rather than avail of the extension, it is still open to them to make such a request via their employer under existing terms and conditions that already attach to their ticket.
The NTA issued press statements on 1 May and 12 August 2020 with full details of the 6 month extension, and these statements can be viewed on the NTA's website.
