Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1077. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the percentage of the increase in the PSO for budget 2018 which will go towards tendered contracts, such as bus services (details supplied); and the percentage towards CIÉ run services. [47033/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware 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.

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.  I have therefore 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.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1078. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the PSO funding for rural link services in each of the years 2008 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [47034/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department provides Current funding for the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) to the National Transport Authority (NTA) which has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including, since 2012, management of the RTP.

In July of this year the NTA published the current figures in respect of the RTP for the years 2007 to 2016 in its Statistical Bulletin no 2/17 "Bus and Rail statistics for Ireland - State Funded Services", page 23. For the assistance of the Deputy I have copied these amounts from that publication.

* Additional funds included in the above figures were made available to  to Rural Transport in 2014 and 2015

The allocation for RTP funding for 2017 is €13.75 million.

In Budget 2018 I secured an additional €500,000 in current funding for the RTP next year. This builds on the increased funding in the last 2 years, which enabled the improvement of existing services and development of new routes.