Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Transport when it is intended to introduce an integrated ticketing system into the public transport system. [15718/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In March 2002, the Railway Procurement Agency was given statutory responsibility for the delivery of an integrated ticketing system. The proposed contactless smartcard-based integrated ticketing system will enable a passenger to use a ticket on one or more scheduled public transport services, by road and rail, irrespective of the transport operator involved. It will be introduced on a phased basis, initially in the Dublin area. The roll-out of integrated ticketing using smartcard technology is being phased in, in line with international experience.

In April 2004 a private operator, Morton's Coaches, in conjunction with the RPA and as a "proof of concept", successfully launched smartcards on its services. Last March, another step was taken with the launch of smartcards on Luas services. The Luas smartcard deployment will help obtain important feedback from passengers and provide operational experience for the next stage of integrated ticketing.

The RPA projects that Dublin Bus, and possibly some additional private operators, will follow with smartcards on their services by early next year, with the DART projected to follow in late 2006. In early 2006 passengers should be able to travel on both bus and Luas services in Dublin using one integrated smartcard.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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The introduction of some level of integrated ticketing would be welcome. The notion of this idea dates back to the putting in place of the Dublin transportation initiative which was drawn up to make an application for European funding because Dublin city had become uncompetitive due to congestion. We would laugh if we compared the level of congestion at the time the initiative was put in place to the current level. The manner in which it is proposed to introduce the system seems piecemeal. That flies in the face of what integrated ticketing means. The system should be integrated from the day it is introduced. There is an element of paralysis in introducing integrated ticketing in that what is at issue is more to do with who runs the services rather than the arrangements at the other end, which should be the issue in a fully integrated ticketing system.

The report on an integrated ticketing system was received by the then Minister for Transport, the former Deputy O'Rourke, in 1999. We have now heard that there will a phased roll-out of the system. While I welcome the fact that there will be some level of ticketing integration, and we are moving towards a fully integrated ticketing system, I am disappointed the full system will not be introduced in a shorter timeframe and that the system will not be fully integrated from the day it is introduced.

From the point of view of the amount of money that was spent on the transport system——

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The Deputy is required to put a supplementary question.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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The Minister referred to the phased introduction of the system. Will it be phased in as between private and public service providers or exclusively by public service providers?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I want the system to be available to everybody who provides a public transport service here. That is the way the customer wants the system to work, namely, to facilitate ease of movement in terms of whatever mode of transport the customer chooses to use. I wish to clarify that the timeframe for the introduction of this system is four years. That 2002-06 timeframe is the best in terms of the world norm.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I would not hold my breath on that.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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We rolled out the Luas this year.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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This is not rocket science.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I know that. It took six years for a similar development to be put in place in London.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The Minister has not delivered.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The timeframe for the introduction of this system is 2002-06. I am happy that the system is on schedule. Hong Kong has the most successful such system in the world and it took four years for it to be rolled out. We have started to roll out our system. We have it in place in the private sector and the public sector. I hope that Bus Éireann, the DART and all the other public transport deliverers in Dublin will be using this system by next year. That is the timeframe that was set for this system, and we will meet it.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The Minister of State, Deputy Callely, might deliver it.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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We will meet that timeframe — it is as simple as that.