Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has information sharing agreements with Irish Rail or other public transport providers. [46813/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has information sharing agreements with the National Transport Authority or the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. [46814/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of times his Department has shared personal identifying information with transport providers, including Irish Rail in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [46815/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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206. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Transport Authority has information sharing agreements with his Department or the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. [46817/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of times the NTA has shared personal identifying information with transport providers including Irish Rail or the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [46818/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 207, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Free Travel Scheme comes under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection. 

I can confirm that my Department does not share any personal identifying data with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, with the National Transport Authority (NTA) or with any transport providers as part of the operation of the Free Travel scheme.  Therefore, a need for information-sharing agreements between my Department and these parties on this matter does not arise.

I have referred to the NTA for direct reply, the part of the Deputy's question regarding any sharing of personal identifying information by the NTA with transport providers.  Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days .

In addition, I understand that the Minister of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will be responding to a similar question from the Deputy relating to arrangements that Department has with the NTA regarding the operation of the Free Travel scheme.