Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1846. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the cost of funding Bus Éireann annually in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and the details of the amount each individual department or funding source contributes. [27469/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Bus Éireann receives Public Service Obligation (PSO) and capital funding.  Since 2010 there is no PSO subvention paid directly by my Department to transport operators. The award of PSO contracts falls under the independent statutory remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has direct responsibility for this area along with the routes covered.  The NTA also provides capital funding to Bus Éireann for PSO Bus Fleet Replacement & Refurbishment and funding for Accessibility Projects and under the Regional Cities Programme. I have therefore forwarded  the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply in relation to funding allocated to Bus Éireann over the period 2011 - 2017.

In addition to this Bus Éireann receives exchequer funding from the Department of Education and Skills for the provision of school transport services and also from the Department of Social Protection in relation to the Free Travel Scheme. Therefore I have referred the Deputy's question to my colleagues Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Education and Skills and Regina Doherty, TD, Minister for Employment and Social Protection for attention and direct reply.