Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Real-time passenger information will shortly be available via mobile telephone and on 500 on-street signs. The initial phase will be delivered by the end of this year.

The integrated ticketing project, integrating smartcards for Irish Rail, Luas, Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and private bus operators, is progressing well. A rigorous testing regime has been put in place and the project is being tested in every way possible. We do not want to leave anything out because, if the system does not work from day one, there will be serious difficulties and the system could lose all credibility, which we do not want to occur. Subject to successful testing, Dublin Bus and Luas annual passholders will be migrated to integrated smartcards from late summer of this year, followed by a similar exercise involving an e-purse or pay-as-you-go system, like a mobile telephone system, in respect of Dublin Bus and Luas services when the scheme has been sufficiently tested.

The Deputy is right, in that there is no way to ensure everywhere currently in receipt of a service will have a better service. A service might be a little further away in some areas, but I assure the Deputy that the certainty of when buses will arrive, the information available on them and so on will make the service a good one. This is the way forward.

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