Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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350. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of funding in budget 2018 in order to improve Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus services, respectively, for their customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45023/17]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of funding in budget 2018 in order to improve Iarnród Éireann services for its customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45024/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together.

Throughout the year I committed publicly to further increasing Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding levels in the future as resources allowed. In Budget 2018 I secured an 8% increase in the overall Exchequer funding available for PSO services throughout the country. This means that in 2018 over €285 million will be allocated via the National Transport Authority (NTA) to support the continued delivery of these socially necessary but financially unviable services that have grown in recent years.

The Deputy has asked about the proposed 2018 PSO allocations to individual companies. As is normal, the precise allocations to the companies will be decided by the NTA in exercise of its statutory mandate and in accordance with the various contract arrangements that it has in place with PSO service providers.