Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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54. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to increase PSO levels to Bus Éireann; the engagement he has had with management and unions since the motion in Dáil Éireann on 31 January 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5889/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As I clearly stated in last week's Dáil debates, I am committed toward increasing PSO funding as Budgetary resources allow. That commitment is evidenced by the 11% increase I secured in Budget 2017 for PSO funding generally and the 21% increase in PSO funding allocated specifically to Bus Éireann last year when compared with 2015.

The Deputy can be assured that I will continue to advocate increased PSO funding during this year's Budgetary process and my Department will work closely with the National Transport Authority (NTA) during the year in determining what are the likely funding requirements in respect of public transport services in 2018.

Of course as the Deputy will agree, any taxpayer funding advanced should seek to achieve value for money. In that respect the NTA has an important statutory role in allocating funding to individual operators and monitoring and reporting upon compliance with the performance targets as entered into with those operators under the relevant public service contracts.

During our debate in the Dáil last week and indeed my appearance the following day before the Joint Oireachtas Committee, I called upon both management and unions to enter into immediate discussions without any pre-conditions. I am clear that the  difficult issues  Bus Éireann faces can only be resolved through open, constructive and realistic engagement between the company and its employees and I encourage both sides to engage constructively on the matter. The State is ready to assist through either the Workplace Relations Commission or the Labour Court and I again urge both parties to seize the opportunity to begin those discussions.