Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department and the National Transport Authority are working with public transport operators to increase the efficiency and attractiveness of existing public transport services.  We are not in a financial position to make significant investment in our public transport network but we can get a better return from our existing public transport system, through targeted investment, better use of resources and by using smart technology to make public transport more responsive and user friendly.

My Department works with the NTA to improve smarter travel, with the NTA providing funds to local authorities in the greater Dublin area and regional cities, while my Department provides direct funding in the other counties and towns. In addition to NTA funding, we are investing €65 million in sustainable transport over the next five years, the majority of which will be invested in cities and towns around the country under key programmes such as smarter travel areas and active travel towns. 

Targeted investment is essential in these financially straightened times.  An example is the Luas BXD project to link the LUAS lines. The Government has also continued to invest in the bus companies, including the recent decision to purchase 80 new buses for Dublin Bus at a cost of €25 million and 60 new buses for Bus Éireann in 2011 at a cost to the Exchequer of €18.5 million. Considerable funding has also taken place in recent years on measures to make public transport more attractive such as the leap card, real time passenger information, automatic vehicle location and providing Wi-Fi. Given the pressure on the public finances, there is no possibility of additional funding by the Exchequer and I expect that subvention levels will reduce over the next two years.

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