Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:1406. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount it would cost to restore the CIÉ subvention to 2008 levels. [36368/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 26 July 2017
Ceisteanna (1406, 1407)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:1407. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount it would cost to restore the CIÉ subvention to 2008 levels and add 33%. [36369/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1406 and 1407 together.
The allocation for the Public Service Obligation (PSO) is subject to the annual Budgetary process. As the Deputy is aware, in Budget 2017 I secured an 11% increase in the total amount of funding available to support the delivery of PSO services. That means that a total of almost €263 million will be allocated in 2017 to support the delivery of these socially necessary but financially unviable services.
Total funding committed toward the PSO programme in 2017 now stands at approximately 85% of the €308 million provided in 2008, which was the year of record funding, and I have already committed publicly, both here in the House and in the Joint Oireachtas Committee, to further increasing PSO funding in the future as resources allow.
The Deputy will be aware that since 2010 there is no subvention paid directly by my Department for public transport services. The level of compensation provided in relation to PSO services falls under the independent statutory remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has direct responsibility for this area.
The funding provided to each operating company is not based upon a particular percentage-based threshold but rather relates to the provision of the contracted level of services and must conform to the methodology established by relevant EU legislation.
Information regarding PSO allocations to the three CIÉ companies is publicly available through the NTA's Statistical Bulletin series for State-funded bus and rail services. Those documents are published on www.nationaltransport.ie.