Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 351: To ask the Minister for Transport the details of subsidies received by State public transport providers, specifically Irish Rail, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus and the RPA in 2004, 2005 and to date in 2006; the average cost per journey resulting from these subsidies in each of the years stated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24693/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The information requested is as follows.

The 2006 Exchequer Subvention paid to each of the CIÉ companies to date in 2006 is as follows:

Final details of the number of passengers carried to date in 2006 are not yet available.

In the case of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), an operating subsidy of €3,842,545 was paid by my Department to the Agency in respect of a cash deficit on the operation of the two Luas lines which arose in 2004. Of this, €3,285,000 was paid in 2004 and the balance of €557,545 was paid in 2005. As 6.6m passengers travelled on the Luas in 2004, the average subsidy on a cash payments basis per passenger in that year was 58 cent.

As a result of a stronger and quicker build-up than anticipated of passenger patronage, the RPA reported in their financial statements an operational surplus of €228,000 in 2005 and no exchequer operating subsidy was required in respect of 2005. No operating subsidy has been paid to date in the current year and based on current projections, no subsidy will be required for 2006.