Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In my reply, I outlined how it would not be possible to extend the Leap card scheme within the existing capital requirements. Given the fact that in the next year we will have broken the back of introducing the Leap card across Dublin city and the greater Dublin area, it could then be deployed countrywide, a move that I would very much support. However, it is not going to be achieved at the moment.

In my reply, I stated the top-up facility difficulties had been sorted out.

Several issues arose and they have been dealt with. We are thinking to the future. The new fleet being purchased in Dublin has double doors and we are considering that. It will take several years to renew the fleet given the capital situation. We are looking to improve the service and the use of double doors may provide options in the medium-term future.

Ultimately, changes in the operation of the Leap card system on buses will come down to either changing the fleet or a single standard fare throughout Dublin. That may be something that can happen. Certainly we are providing the infrastructure to make it a possibility in future should the economic circumstances exist.

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