Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Transport the reason for the protracted delay in the development of an integrated ticketing system for Dublin's public transport network since it was first mooted in the late 1990s; the further reason the Railway Procurement Agency was entrusted with this task; the expenditure to date on the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20981/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA), currently has responsibility for procuring an integrated ticketing system. The RPA was given this responsibility as it has no responsibility for providing transport services directly to the public and thus any concerns about the project being captured by an existing operator and causing difficulties as regards competition issues was thereby avoided.

The integrated ticketing system in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) is being introduced on a phased basis, based on smart card technology, with the phasing out of magnetic strip technology. A progressive approach is being adopted to allow customers to familiarise themselves with using the new system and to allow transport operators to undertake the necessary testing associated with the integration of the various technologies involved.

A smart card for public transport services in the GDA is now available on Luas and Dublin Bus services. All buses in the Dublin Bus fleet have been fitted with smart card validators. Smart cards are now in use on these buses in respect of a number of ticket products such as annual and monthly bus tickets, as well as integrated annual and monthly bus and rail tickets, bus and Luas tickets and 5-day Rambler tickets. Irish Rail will also introduce an interim smart card scheme in the coming month These interim systems, will then migrate to a single integrated smart card with electronic purse capability over the period to end-2010.

This system will also be extended to Bus Éireann on a pilot basis on a number of its commuter routes. It is also envisaged that private bus operators will join the scheme over this timeframe.

€18.3 million has been paid out by the Exchequer on integrated ticketing since the inception of the project in 2002. This expenditure encompasses project management, design and development costs and operator contributions.