Written answers

Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Bus Services

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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121. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for the disparity between the fares charged to Bus Éireann passengers and Dublin Bus passengers, when taking into account journeys of the exact same distance. [27814/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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122. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason that the National Transport Authority has failed to use a radius method for the selection of fares that are being offered within Cork county instead of the chosen routes which would supply equality of access to fares and encourage greater use of public transport post-pandemic. [27815/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the roll-out of the Leap card on the Cork to Mallow rail service. [27828/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 122 and 134 together.

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 the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services.

I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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123. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the next stop audio project that the National Transport Authority undertook to deliver as part of the findings of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport report on the Accessibility of Public Transport Services for People with Disabilities which has yet to be delivered across Bus Éireann services. [27816/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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124. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the National Transport Authority is instructing Bus Éireann to operate its new low floor coaches on specific routes, while not operating them in cases in which there is a known requirement. [27817/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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125. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Transport Authority has engaged with the groups that represent mobility impaired persons that require the use of a wheelchair to ensure that the fleet being purchased is fit for purpose and not just compliant with international standards which have not kept pace with the development of powered wheelchairs. [27818/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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126. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the National Transport Authority has engaged with a committee (details supplied) to avail of its unique knowledge regarding the needs of disabled customers across the public transport network. [27819/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the percentage of drivers and supervisors that have been trained in the use of wheelchair lifts on high-sided coaches as classified by the National Transport Authority. [27821/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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129. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has engaged with the National Transport Authority with regard to its funding of a transport training centre for the disabled community by an organisation (details supplied). [27822/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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130. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an assurance will be given that a person who may have declared a conflict of interest will remove themselves from discussions for funding for the planned transport training centre for the disabled community. [27823/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 to 126, inclusive, and 128 to 130, inclusive, together.

As Minister for Transport I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.

Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network.

In light of the NTA's responsibilities in this matter, I have forwarded your questions to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the percentage of bus stops nationwide that are wheelchair accessible. [27820/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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131. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the costs incurred by the National Transport Authority as a result of respraying Bus Éireann liveried buses and coaches to their own livery; and the breakdown for same in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021. [27824/21]

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the engagement the National Transport Authority had with local authorities nationwide with regard to Part 8 redevelopments of towns and villages in order to ensure that wheelchair accessible bus stops are included in the design process. [27825/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 131 and 132 together.

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 the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of the national PSO bus fleet, bus stops and shelters.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.

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