Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The Department of Social and Family Affairs pays CIE and, therefore, somebody must pay for the scheme somewhere along the way. I suspect the train scheme will be hugely successful. Let us see how it goes and reflect on its potential.

With regard to integrated ticketing - again I am wearing my previous hat - the new PPS card, which will be introduced later this year, will have a photograph, signature, etc. on it and it will be possible to use it for integrated ticketing. That is the step which will enable such ticketing to take place. That is a good example of interaction between various Departments. Once it is in place, we will expand the scheme.

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