Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps which will be taken to ensure that there are adequate bus and rail services available to take essential workers, particularly health workers and school children to their places of work and to school due to the restrictions being placed by Covid-19 on the number of passengers allowed on public transport; if extra funding has been made available to the NTA by his Department for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34449/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. Continued operation of the public transport sector is important, and it has been designated among the essential services that have carried on during the Covid crisis. I would like to thank both public and commercial operators and their staff for their continued dedication to providing this vital service in such challenging times. A number of measures have been introduced across the system, guided by public health advice, to ensure the continued operation of services during the pandemic, including enhanced cleaning regimes and social distancing measures across the network.

The Government's new "Living with Covid" Plan sets out capacity guidance for public transport at each of the 5 risk levels identified in the new Plan. The Plan provides guidance for the public about using public transport at the different risk levels; including that wearing face coverings is mandatory, and encouraging use of off-peak services and sustainable active travel alternative options where feasible.

Due to the rising incidences of Covid-19 in the community, An Taoiseach announced that for a period of six weeks from midnight on Wednesday 21st October, the whole country would move to Level 5 of the Plan. At current levels of risk, public transport operators are restricted to having only 25% of their passenger-carrying capacity on vehicles. Importantly, the continued guidance under the Plan on working from home where possible and the closure of social, leisure and other facilities has reduced the demand for public transport well below normal levels. The advice is aimed at ensuring public transport is safeguarded for those who need it most, including frontline workers and students. Both my Department and the NTA are closely monitoring public transport demand and will continue to be guided by public health advice.

Following extensive engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the 2020 public service obligation (PSO) allocation of approx. €300m was utilised to fund the revenue shortfall arising with PSO and Rural Transport operators as a result of COVID-19. On 4th June 2020 Government agreed an increase in PSO subvention to enable the normal range of Exchequer-supported public transport services to continue to run for this year. Continuing to fund the existing PSO system will require up to a further c. €460 million to year end (in addition to the c. €300m already provided).

The Government approved temporary funding supports on 26th June 2020, in accordance with EU and national legislation, for the licensed bus sector. These supports are aimed at ensuring the continued operation of essential licensed bus services for a period of up to six months. The package is restricted to operators where a clear public interest justification supports such intervention and is being targeted at compensating the gap between specified costs and the revenues generated on the services. The NTA, as the public transport licensing agency, is responsible for administering this funding support through contracts established between the NTA and the relevant operators.