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Free Travel Scheme Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Ceisteanna (598, 599, 600, 601)

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

598. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual subvention that is paid to Dublin Bus by her Department for the free travel scheme, providing a bus pass to citizens over the age of 66 years, for each year from 2007 to date in 2013; when the last review was conducted by her Department on the way that subvention figure is calculated; if the new public services card that is being rolled out by her Department will have Leap card style integration, in order that in the future, a more accurate figure may be gathered as to how often old age pensioners are using the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37388/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

599. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual subvention that is paid to the operators of the LUAS by her Department for the free travel scheme, providing a free travel pass to citizens over the age of 66, for each year from 2007 to present; when the last review was conducted by her Department on the way that subvention figure is calculated; if the new public services card that is being rolled out by her Department will have Leap card style integration, so in the future, a more accurate figure can be gathered as to how often old age pensioners are using the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37389/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

600. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual subvention that is paid to the each private transport operator by her Department for the free travel scheme, providing a bus pass to citizens over the age of 66, for each year from 2007 to date; when the last review was conducted by her Department on the way that subvention figure is calculated; if the new public services card that is being rolled out by her Department will have Leap card style integration, so in the future, a more accurate figure may be gathered as to how often old age pensioners are using the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37390/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

601. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual subvention that is paid to Irish Rail by her Department for the free travel scheme, providing a bus pass to citizens over the age of 66 years, for each year from 2007 to date; when the last review was conducted by her Department on the way that subvention figure is calculated; if the new public services card that is being rolled out by her Department will have Leap card style integration in order that in the future, a more accurate figure may be gathered as to how often old age pensioners are using the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37392/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 to 601, inclusive, together.

The free travel scheme permits free travel on most CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services offered by over 90 private operators in various parts of the country at a cost to the exchequer of some €75.6 million in 2012. My Department also provides limited funding of some €1.5 million for the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) but organisation and development of the service is the responsibility of the Department of Transport and Pobal. A breakdown of the individual components in set out in Table 1 below.

The Department pays the CIE Group centrally in respect of transport services provided nationwide by the Group and the apportionment of payment between the three constituent companies, Bus Eireann, Bus Átha Cliath and Iarnród Eireann is a matter for the CIE Group to determine.

In relation to CIE, rather than carrying out specific surveys of usage, the Department moved many years ago to a service model based on the transportation infrastructure and the introduction of new services e.g. DART, LUAS and removal of the restrictions on free travel during peak hours. At each stage, the Department has negotiated rates and discounts to reflect these developments. Payments for LUAS were calculated on the basis of ridership and ticket survey information while the payments to private operators were based on fares foregone.

Details of Payment to CIE, Private Operators, Pobal and Luas - 2007 to 2012:

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

CIE

€61,201,720

€61,358,000

€61,369,045

€61,200,000

€56,461,729

€52,576,856

Private Operators

€7,411,480

€7,675,000

€7,246,163

€6,227,308

€6,365,937

€5,526,210

POBAL

€1,500,000

€1,500,000

€1,500,000

€1,500,000

€1,500,000

€1,500,000

Luas

€3,862,457

€3,907,500

€2,848,383

€3,568,377

€2,749,855

€2,917,001

An Inter-Departmental Working Group has been established to carry out a review of the current free travel scheme. This group is comprised of officials from the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the National Transport Authority. The terms of reference for the review are comprehensive and encompass all aspects of the scheme. The work of the group is at an advanced stage and I expect to have their report by the end of the year.

The new public services card will include a contactless chip, similar to the Leap Card, to communicate with the integrated ticketing system. It will enable more detailed statistics to be collected in relation to the number of passengers travelling and the frequency of that travel. Specific details on the reporting information available is still under consideration and will be finalised as part of the overall project.

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