Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. From the outset, I would like to note that the Department of Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, it is not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. It is the NTA, as the Deputy knows, that has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the allocation of associated funding to the relevant transport operators.

That being said, in budget 2022, the Department of Transport secured €538 million of funding for public service obligation and LocalLink services provided by State operators and under contract by the NTA this year. This includes more than €200 million of Covid-19 emergency funding in 2022 to counter the continuing impacts of the pandemic on fare revenue across transport operators.

Out of this significant budget for public transport services, the Department of Transport has allocated €5.6 million of funding to the NTA to begin investing in the new Connecting Ireland plan. This plan is designed to increase travel connectivity across rural Ireland with the aim to provide better connections between villages and towns by linking these with an enhanced public transport network, which also connects to cities and regional centres nationwide.

Connecting Ireland will significantly increase both the number of routes and the frequency of existing services across the country, including in Sligo. As a result of Connecting Ireland, hundreds of rural villages and areas will, for the first time, be served by a viable public transport link. It is proposed that there will be an overall increase of approximately 25% in rural bus service as part of a five-year plan to enhance existing services, adding new bus routes and new services, in addition to expanding the demand responsive local bus network.

Accordingly, it will build on both the TFI Local Link network and on the rural regular public transport network.

The Department also secured almost €1 million for the development and implementation of new town bus services in 2022, as well as allocating €25 million to the introduction of a young adult card. This card will enable any person aged between 19 and 23 years old to avail of an average fare discount of 50% across all public transport services, including city, intercity and rural services. This will benefit many young people living in the west.

As the Deputy will be aware, the NTA is actively engaging with Sligo County Council officials on the development of proposals and the assessment of options to build on the success of the existing Sligo town bus service. This process includes an examination of possibilities to improve the current S1 route to ensure full co-ordination between bus services and between bus and rail services at the Sligo bus and train stations in light of the fact that the existing S1 service does not currently serve these stations. The NTA has advised that the close proximity of the bus and train stations presents an opportunity to integrate the existing Sligo town bus service with regional and national bus and rail services. Aligning services is fundamental to the goal of connecting people across Ireland in an accessible and sustainable manner.

The service planning section of the NTA has been reviewing the efficacy of the town bus service in Sligo. It has identified demands for transport within the town of Sligo and concluded that there could be unmet public transport demand between Finisklin Business Park, Maugheraboy, Sligo bus and train stations, Sligo town centre and Manorhamilton Road. The NTA is currently finalising plans and drawing up a detailed service specification for a new S3 route which would serve Finisklin Business Park, Maugheraboy, Sligo bus and train station, Sligo town centre and Manorhamilton Road. The NTA is currently engaged with stakeholders to identify suitable bus stop locations. I want to assure the Deputy, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, that this work is underway.

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