Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Transport when he expects integrated ticketing to be fully operational in Dublin; the cost of the integrated ticketing project to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3311/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed integrated ticketing system will be launched initially within the Greater Dublin Area on the scheduled services of Dublin Bus, LUAS and Morton's in September 2009. Dublin Bus will launch its interim smartcard scheme in summer 2008 and Irish Rail will follow suit with its own interim scheme in 2009. It will be extended to Irish Rail DART and commuter rail services within a further 12 months, and Bus Éireann will implement a pilot scheme on a number of its commuter routes. It is also envisaged that other private bus operators will join the scheme over this timeframe. In the meantime, the award the contract to build the Back Office of the system is expected to be awarded by end March 2008 and the procurement process for a contractor to operate the system will then commence. €12.5 million has been paid out by the Exchequer on integrated ticketing since the inception of the project in March 2002.