Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Transport the consideration there has been by his Department on charging for park and ride facilities at suburban locations; the impact it will have on public transport use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39895/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has capital funding available under Transport 21 for the development of park and ride facilities, subject to suitable business cases being made. My Department does not provide funding for the operation of such facilities. The issue of charging is a matter for those operating these facilities.

However, as I have indicated before, a number of guiding principles for the implementation of rail-based park and ride strategy have been identified by the Dublin Transportation Office, and these principles will be expected to inform local authorities and service providers of both bus and rail-related park and ride in accordance with Transport 21. These principles are: park and ride should improve rail accessibility without disimproving road congestion; rail users only should use park and ride spaces and may have to pay to use them; complementary parking controls in the areas around stations may be required; rail fares generally should not be increased to pay for park and ride; those who benefit from park and ride should contribute to the cost of it; rail services must be able to serve the demand generated by park and ride provision.

Park and ride facilities can and do have a positive impact on public transport use, and have an important role to play in encouraging people to transfer from private cars to public transport. In considering whether to impose charges towards meeting the operating costs of park and ride facilities, providers can be expected to take into account a variety of factors, and these would of course include consideration of the likely impact of charges on use of the facility and, by extension, on public transport use.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Transport the arrangements that exist between his Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in relation to closer co-operation in relation to the delivery of park and ride facilities in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39896/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In the Greater Dublin Area, traffic management matters including park and ride facilities come under the remit of the Dublin Transportation Office (DTO). Both the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and my Department are represented on the Steering Committee of the DTO, and I consider that this provides the necessary co-operative framework.