Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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239. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide in tabular form the subsidies paid by his Department to all public and private transport operators here including subventions; if the number of public transport routes currently privatised will be put out to tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53501/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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There is no subvention paid directly by my Department in relation to public transport services. The award of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts falls under the independent statutory remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has direct responsibility for this area. The total Public Service Obligation (PSO) subvention payable to the NTA in 2013 is €226.5 million. The allocation and payment of the subvention to all operators, including the amount payable to the three CIÉ subsidiaries, is decided by the NTA in accordance with their PSO contracts with the companies. The LUAS tram services are operated under contract from the RPA by a private operator and does not receive any PSO subvention. I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.