Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this very important issue. Private bus operators are a fundamental part of our public transport service. In the way it has evolved over the years, they are responsible for 100% of services in many places, particularly in vast swathes of rural Ireland. They provide scheduled services through the National Transport Authority. They provide school bus transport services through the Department of Education, under Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus in the city, as well as under other bus companies. In terms of coach tourism, they provide an important role for incoming tourists. It is a hugely important service that keeps people moving.

Operators have had a difficult couple of years because of Covid. I acknowledge the supports the Government provided during that time. I point to the fact, as I consistently did during that period, that there were anomalies and discrepancies within those measures, for example, regarding the private school bus operators and the supports that were available. I welcome the Government measures, and I have said as much to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, such as the introduction of the youth travel card, which is due to be introduced next month, the additional cost-of-living measures, and the 20% reduction in fares. However, this has a direct impact on private operators in that they cannot avail of these measures. There is a commitment from the Government that the youth travel card would be introduced at some stage in the future, around which there are technical issues. That needs to be introduced as quickly as possible.

The 20% fare reduction is literally limited to public service obligation, PSO, routes. That has a real impact on the competitiveness and viability of these services. I make that point as someone who wants to see an enhancement of uptake on public transport. There is a question now about viability. This happens in the context of increasing running costs, the increase in the price of diesel and everything else. It calls into question the future viability of these services. I am not convinced that the Government, the Minister or the Department have adequately assessed the potential impact of that.

I believe there is a commitment to the expansion of public transport but I am not convinced the approach that has been taken here and the potential impact of the specific exclusion from the 20% reduction has been adequately considered. There is a real prospect, and we have literally seen the difficulty the school bus transport sector is having at this point spelled out in black and white, that we might lose a number of operators. In our mission to get more people on to public transport, we might actually lose and forego that opportunity because of the approach and inherent inequity in these measures.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I thank Deputy O’Rourke for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan.

I understand that the Deputy’s question is with regard to the inclusion of private bus operators in the young adult card and other fare-reduction initiatives. From the outset, I would like to assure the Deputy that I have been advised that it has always been the intention of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to include commercial bus operators as part of the young adult card initiative. Licenced bus and coach operators are an integral part of the overall public transport system, particularly in areas around the country that are not covered by existing public service bus and rail services.

In recognition of the important role these operators play, the Government has continued to provide temporary financial supports throughout the Covid-19 pandemic for certain licenced commercial services with a view to protecting capacity across the public transport sector throughout the crisis. In acknowledgment of the continuing difficulties facing this sector, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these supports for the commercial sector were recently extended up to 30 June 2022. To date, more than €60 million has been provided to support the commercial bus operators during this challenging time.

In relation to the Deputy’s question regarding the young adult card, recognising the importance of incentivising more young people to use public transport, €25 million of funding was secured for the scheme's introduction as part of budget 2022. This initiative will allow any person nationwide who is between 19 and 23 years old to avail of an entitlement for discounted travel costs and to increase the level of discount over and above the current student discount to an average discount of 50% across all services including city, intercity and rural services. It is expected that the young adult card will be launched on PSO services next month. It will then be broadened to include commercial operators later this year with the aim to have it in place before the recommencement of third-level colleges.

With regard to other public transport fare initiatives, as the Deputy will be aware, a 20% average reduction is being introduced on PSO services as part of a suite of Government measures to help combat the rising cost of living. This fare reduction was applied to all services outside the greater Dublin area from 11 April and it is intended to roll out the next stage of the reductions on greater Dublin area services from 9 May. The fare reduction will be in place until the end of the year.

It is clear that these fare initiatives will be of great benefit to public transport users. They will not only promote modal shift in the transport sector but should also contribute towards a reduced reliance on private transport, with the associated benefit of transport emission savings. It is important to note, however, that it is technically more challenging to roll out fare initiatives such as the young adult card on the commercial bus network than it is on the Leap-enabled PSO network. As such, it will take longer to make this fare discount available to commercial bus operators.

The National Transport Authority, NTA, is in detailed discussions with transport operators and the Department of Transport regarding the range of issues that need to be addressed. To assist with this process, the NTA has established a joint working group with commercial bus operators to consider options and develop a plan to implement the young adult card on commercial bus operators in as timely a manner as possible, taking account of current ticketing capabilities to ensure a viable scheme is implemented, with the second meeting of this group taking place this morning. The invaluable industry experience on the working group will help expedite the process of deploying the young adult card to the wider commercial bus sector.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for that update. I welcome the joint working group and the commitment to engagement with regard to the issue of the youth travel card. That needs to happen as quickly as possible. I also draw the Minister of State's attention to this matter. It is important to point out that there needs to be movement regarding the 20% fare reduction on non-PSO routes. Operators have told me they acknowledge the progress on the youth travel card. They need movement with regard to the 20% fare reduction. When they engaged with the Minister in relation to this, he said that not only were there technical issues with the youth travel card but there was no additional funding to move on the 20%. At the same time, however, or very shortly after, there was movement on the student Leap card for 12 to 19-year-olds, which is separate to the youth travel card.

I make the point that it is really important there is consistency across the board. If our objective is to maximise the number of people who will be using public transport in the years ahead, and if we acknowledge that it will be a mixture of PSO, commercial, private bus operators and State operators, then we need to ensure the viability of all the component parts of that. There is a risk in setting a two-tier approach that this will not happen.

In my remaining 20 seconds, I ask the Minister of State to relay those points to the Minister but also those in respect of school bus transport. The Coach Tourism and Transport Council, CTTC, private bus operators said they will not make it to the end of the year. They have not seen a dime in extra money despite the increasing cost of fuel. That needs to be resolved as well.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I will bring the Deputy's message to the Minister. I think the school bus transport issue may go to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I take the Deputy's point, however. I would like to reassure him that both the NTA and the Department of Transport have been engaging directly with commercial bus operators to help inform policy decisions with regard to the public transport sector, particularly those related to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on the sector and the various fare initiatives being introduced this year.

In addition to the working group I referenced earlier, the Department of Transport has been engaging with the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland since May 2020. To date, 23 meetings have taken place. More recently, on 25 March, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, met with the CTTC to discuss its concerns and the key issues facing the sector.

While it is not intended to include the commercial operators as part of the 20% average fare initiative, which is applicable to PSO services and is due to run to the end of 2022, it is intended to include these operators as part of the young adult card initiative. The NTA is working closely with operators to achieve this shared goal as quickly as possible. As the Deputy will appreciate, however, in order to roll out the card across the commercial bus sector, time is needed to make and test the necessary changes to the wide array of ticketing systems employed across the network. The NTA has advised that the intensive technical work to achieve this is on track.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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It might be helpful to point out that Topical Issue matter No. 4 will not be proceeding. The third Topical Issue matter in ainm an Teachta Buckley to discuss the lack of short-term and long-term respite services in east Cork will be the final matter for today.