David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Transport his role in the development of public transport commuter services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2281/11]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I and my Department provide the policy, legislative and funding framework for public transport in line with the Government's investment priorities. We also support the delivery of transport investment programmes and public transport services by the transport implementing agencies. I believe that the establishment of the National Transport Authority, based on its wide-ranging mandate under the provisions of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 and the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009, offers significant opportunities to target appropriate investment in and funding of commuter services in the future.

Taking account of the constrained funding available under the current four-year budgetary framework, the focus of my Department and its agencies will be on gaining greater efficiencies from existing public transport and commuter services and systems and providing new infrastructure within available funding. Priority will also be given to planning and designing future developments within the financial constraints. As a result the aim will be to achieve commuter journey time savings and congestion reduction and thereby contribute to national competitiveness.