Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Transport when integrated ticketing will be introduced among public transport providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29756/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Transport the expected final cost of the integrated ticketing project; when it is expected the project will be concluded; the target date for the full introduction of integrated ticketing; the person who has charge of the project since it was taken from the Railway Procurement Agency; the expertise of the new person or body charged with concluding the project; the budget, timescale and terms of reference they are operating to; the amount of funding which has to date been wasted; the way in which it is to be recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30065/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount which has been spent to date on the smart card project for integrated ticketing; the ticketing system that is being proposed; and the estimated final cost and date when such tickets integrating Luas, other rail and bus services will be introduced. [29907/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 41 and 91 together.

Two independent reviews of the integrated ticketing project were undertaken earlier this year. Both strongly recommended continuing with the project, albeit with enhanced governance arrangements being put in place. On foot of these reviews, I announced last July that I was in the process of establishing an Integrated Ticketing Project Board with responsibility for delivering the project.

The Project Board has now been established and is chaired by Mr. David O'Callaghan, a former Secretary General at the Department of Defence. The Board comprises the Chairman, the Chief Executives of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, Bus Éireann and a representative of licensed private bus operators. An Assistant Secretary from my Department is also on the Board and a senior representative of the Department of Social & Family Affairs also attends as required.

The Project Board is responsible for the successful delivery of the smartcard technology required to deliver an integrated ticketing system within an agreed specification, timeline and budget. The Board is also to consider such other technical scope and design issues as may be necessary to complete delivery of the smart card technology (e.g. technical design issues in relation to possible fare structures and levels, ticket products, revenue collection strategies, data requirements etc). Before a public transport operator can proceed with any of its own ticketing investment proposals, the operator will be required to satisfy the Board that the proposed equipment is consistent with the integrated ticketing requirements.

Some €10.5 million has been paid out to date by the Exchequer on integrated ticketing since commencement of the project in 2002. During the period of the recent reviews, my Department recognised that there were ongoing costs associated with the project pending the completion of both reviews. It took the view, subsequently endorsed by both reviews, that if the project team and associated expertise were to be lost, it would have resulted in significant nugatory expenditure and would have been difficult to resurrect the project in its current form.

On its establishment, I set the Board a number of immediate tasks, including to review and settle by way of agreement the scope, timelines and budget for the phased completion of the integrated ticketing project. I have asked the Project Board to report back to me by September, 2006 with an agreed delivery strategy for the integrated ticketing project, including an assessment of the scope, timelines and budget. I expect to receive this report in the coming days.