John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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921. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the exact low emission technology for the future purchasing of Dublin buses has been determined; the work being prepared by his Department for the implementation of no longer purchasing diesel only buses from July 2019 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45433/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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922. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding allocated to the green public transport fund in Budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45434/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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923. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding drawn down in 2018 by the NTA to support the alternative urban fleet trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45435/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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924. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the NTA's alternative urban fleet trials has taken place; if so, the findings of these trials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45436/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 921 to 924, inclusive, together.

In line with our commitment under the National Development Plan, work is currently underway in my Department and its agencies to prepare for the transition away from purchasing diesel-only buses for urban PSO services after July 2019.  As I have previously indicated to the Deputy, comprehensive vehicle trials will commence before the end of this year to help further inform purchasing decisions for new buses over the coming years which will consider carbon emissions, air quality impacts, and potential contribution towards renewable energy targets as well as costs, vehicle availability, and operational and infrastructural requirements.  No decision has yet been taken on the most appropriate low emission fuels or technologies for future urban bus procurement in Dublin or elsewhere; this will be informed by the findings of the trials, amongst other research, following their conclusion in early 2019.

Within my Department's overall funding allocation for 2018, €5.5m was assigned in 2018 specifically to provide for a Carbon Reduction Programme to fund measures which support decarbonising the transport sector. From within that allocation, funding was sourced for the Green Public Transport Fund, which was established to support the uptake of low carbon, energy efficient technologies within the public transport sector. In Budget 2019, €7m has been assigned for the Carbon Reduction Programme; from this allocation funding will be made available under the Green Public Transport Fund as required and in accordance with approved projects.

As the Deputy is aware, the Fund is intended to support piloting and uptake of energy-efficient and alternatively fuelled technologies for PSO operators within the bus fleet and small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, as well as bridging the price differential between such technologies and conventionally fuelled vehicles. No drawdown from the Fund has yet taken place to support the bus trials but to date three contracts have been successfully awarded. The Fund also supports the transition of the national SPSV fleet to alternative technologies through the establishment of the Electric Vehicle SPSV Grant Scheme. By the end of October 2018, €198,117 had been drawn down from the Fund to pay grants under this scheme.