Mr. Tim Duggan:

Payments to all operators under the free travel scheme are done on the basis of fares forgone, not on the basis of journeys. Discount levels are applied in reaching agreement with each operator, depending on a range of factors. Different discounts are applied to different services. For instance, Luas is discounted by 15% at peak and by 40% off-peak. Córas Iompair Éireann, CIE, is discounted at 40%. Private operators are discounted at 30%. Iarnród Éireann is discounted at 10%. Cross-Border bus services are discounted at 31% and Northern Ireland rail or Translink is discounted at 10%. It depends on the nature of the service.