Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1082. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeframe for the retrofitting of both audio and visual equipment to the Bus Éireann fleet in counties Sligo and Leitrim to assist persons who are deaf and visually impaired to travel independently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24925/18]

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1083. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of wheelchair-accessible buses available on routes licensed by the National Transport Authority serving counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24926/18]

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1084. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the National Transport Authority will have its bus stop accessibility audit completed for counties Sligo and Leitrim; if it will be publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24927/18]

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1085. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has had an engagement with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government with regard to the provision of additional funding to enable local authorities to provide wheelchair-accessible bus stops nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24928/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1082 to 1085, inclusive, together.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. My Department's high level policy goal for accessible public transport is embodied in the concept of 'Transport Access for All'. This policy is based on the provisions of the Disability Act 2005 and related Government strategies, in particular the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021.

In Budget 2018 I secured a trebling of the funding provided for the accessibility retro-fit programme as part of the 4 year capital envelope for public transport announced. An amount of almost €28 million is being made available for accessibility upgrades for existing older infrastructure in the period 2018 to 2021. The additional funding will facilitate the continued roll-out of the programmes to install accessible bus stops, upgrade train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and provide grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles into the taxi fleet. Under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 there will be continued investment in the retro-fit programme which is managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 the NTA has functional responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network. This includes the provision of wheelchair accessible bus stops in rural and regional areas under the retro-fit programme and any issues in relation to audio and visual communications on the Bus Éireann fleet. In addition, as the licensing authority for public bus passenger services, the NTA will be in a position to answer the Deputy’s query regarding licences issued by it to the bus and coach industry.

In light of the NTA's responsibilities in this matter, 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.