Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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1298. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the person or body that authorised the use of public funds by the National Transport Authority for its publicity campaign on BusConnects; and the cost of this campaign. [19188/19]

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. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning, development and promotion of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including BusConnects.

The NTA is a statutory body established by an Act of the Oireachtas, the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. That Act sets out the statutory objectives and functions of the NTA including a requirement that it secure the provision of public transport infrastructure and services, as well as promoting the development of an integrated transport network. The Act further provides for Exchequer allocations in each financial year to the NTA out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas towards both capital and current expenditure, including administrative expenditure.

The use by the NTA of such voted allocations in the exercise of its functions is a matter for the Board of the NTA in line with this statutory framework.