Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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28. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which the budget allocation to his Department will allow for the needed expansion and provision of additional services and routes for the state's bus and rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32791/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​Budget 2017 has allocated an additional €31 million to public transport services (PSO and rural transport) when compared with this year's allocation.

It is a statutory function of the National Transport Authority (NTA) under the Dublin Transport Act 2008 to decide upon the exact allocation to each operator. The NTA is currently engaged in discussions with the relevant operators as regards their allocation and the services that are to be provided in return for that allocation.

However, I expect next year's additional money will provide for much needed improvements to services such as -

- Rolling out 10 minute DART services;

- Extending Kildare Line commuter rail services through the Phoenix Park Tunnel and into the heart of Dublin's city centre;

- Providing for additional services across the bus network;

- Maintaining progress with the bus market opening competitions; and

- Improved rural transport bus services.

As well as these service improvements Budget 2017 has also provided capital funding which will deliver improvements to our transport network and improve capacity across the network. These improvements include the continued progression of the City Centre Rail Re-signalling Programme and the continuation of the Luas Green Line Enhancement programme, both of which will facilitate increased capacity on the heavy and light rail networks respectively. Obviously next year will also see the completion of the Luas Cross City which will provide for a significant expansion of the light rail network in the city providing an additional 10m passenger journeys per annum.

It is clear is that the increased funding I have made available for public transport next year will help the NTA and the operators to deliver improvements in our public transport services.