Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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480. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the profitability of the Navan to Dublin Bus Éireann NX route in comparison with other routes. [17407/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. Expressway services are operated by Bus Éireann on a commercial basis in a similar fashion to any other commercial licensed bus service. Commercial licensed bus services do not receive any taxpayer funding, in contrast to those socially necessary but financially unviable services which make up the Public Service Obligation (PSO) network. Decisions regarding commercial licensed bus services are matters for the operator concerned, subject to the licensing arrangements of the National Transport Authority.  

I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to Bus Éireann for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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481. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way in which the proposed price increases on the Navan to Dublin Bus Éireann NX route can be justified in the absence of a rail track in the future for commuters in Navan which unfairly penalises commuters who do not have use for a Leap card. [17408/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.  However, I am not involved in the day to day operations of public transport or decisions on bus fares in any part of the country or the operation of the Leap card.  Following the establishment of the National Transport Authority (NTA) in December 2009, the NTA is the statutory body with responsibility for the regulation of fares charged by the public transport providers.

Therefore, I have forwarded your query to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

The Deputy’s question also refers to the Navan Rail Link Project, which was originally included under the Transport 21 Initiative and was to be developed in two phases.  Phase 1, comprising the Dunboyne Rail Line project was completed in 2013.  Phase 2 was to provide for the extension of the Dunboyne line onwards to north Navan.  This development together with a number of other transport projects was postponed in 2011 due to the economic and fiscal crisis. 

In 2016 the NTA published its Transport Strategy for the GDA for the period 2016-2035.  All the main transport corridors in the GDA were examined in the Strategy including the Navan to City Centre Corridor.  The NTA concluded that based on current population and employment forecasts, the level of travel demand between Navan, Dunshaughlin and various stations to the city centre is insufficient to justify the development of a high-capacity rail link at this time.  Instead it is proposed that an enhanced bus service will be provided along the corridor in conjunction with the development of a bus hub in Navan.  

The NTA has indicated that the position will be reassessed as part of the next review of the GDA Transport Strategy and this will take account of the level of development in the catchment area over the next six years.  The NTA has also indicated that the corridor identified for a rail link to Navan should be protected from development intrusion in the meantime.  Should the planned future review of the Transport Strategy conclude that a rail link is justified at that point, then funding can be pursued then, in the context of developing future Capital Investment Plans.

Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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482. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the review of the operation of Bus Éireann route 52 between Ballina and Galway. [17464/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The issue raised is a matter for the National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Bus Éireann and I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.