Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The NTA pays a public service obligation to the CIE group of companies, which also receives a subsidy in respect of travel passes from the Department of Social Protection. The amount of the latter is between €60 million and €70 million, which is significantly less than the NTA pays. What level of co-ordination exists between the NTA and the Department of Social Protection in the context of ensuring that CIE is not being paid on the double? I refer to the fact that the Department pays out taxpayers' money for travel passes to Bus Éireann in respect of routes that have been developed and that the NTA also pays a public service obligation to the company. In reality, all of this money is used for the same purpose. Is there a case for the two funds in question to be managed by one or other of the organisations?