Written answers

Thursday, 17 June 2021

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Public Transport

Photo of Martin BrowneMartin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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38. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the goals of an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the Ballybrophy Limerick line; and his further views on the adequacy of monthly supports being made available for the X8 bus route. [32431/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, I am not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport.

On January 29, I met with a local community organisation, the North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership (NTCRP), to discuss a number of issues which it wished to raise in relation to services on the Ballybrophy line. Following that meeting, NTA representatives attended a meeting of Nenagh Municipal District on 18 February, at which representatives of NTCRP presented the case for improved infrastructure and additional services for the Ballybrophy rail line.

Iarnród Éireann also held a meeting with the NTCRP on March 9 in relation to the Ballybrophy line. Iarnród Éireann stated that its priority at this time was the restoration of services to pre-COVID-19 levels.

My Department has been advised by Iarnród Éireann that, following the completion of the relaying of 5 miles of continuous welded rail on the line, it will run an empty train Limerick-Ballybrophy-Limerick on Sunday in preparation for all services to return to normal on Monday morning 21st June as planned. In addition, I understand that Iarnród Éireann are to reschedule a recently postponed meeting with the NTCRP at a time that suits all concerned. I understand the issues of concern to NTCRP and referred to by the Deputy will again form part of those discussions.

In relation to the X8 bus route - both the National Transport Authority (NTA) and my Department have been engaging directly with commercial bus operators throughout the Covid-19 Emergency. The public transport system in Ireland has played an essential service role over the course of the pandemic, especially in carrying essential workers and others making necessary journeys.

In this regard, the Government agreed substantial increases to the PSO budget to support continuation of PSO services during the Covid situation in 2020 and 2021. In addition, the Government has recognised the situation of the licenced bus sector - which normally operates on a commercial basis without public subvention but which, during the Covid crisis, was in a situation where its operations were no longer commercially viable, owing to the impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers and the associated drop in fare revenue.

Therefore, last June the Government decided to introduce new, temporary financial support for certain licensed services provided by commercial bus operators to ensure the continued operation of these essential services. The Expressway business operated by Bus Éireann is one of the many commercial operations of licenced public transport services that have been able to avail of this new, temporary, Covid-related support.

The temporary support was initially introduced for a period of 6-months, with a view to protecting capacity across the public transport sector throughout the crisis. The NTA on behalf of my Department, entered into contracts with the licensed bus sector to provide funding for routes where a clear public interest justification supports such intervention.

As it remains the case that commercial bus operators are still under severe financial distress due to the fall in passenger numbers and associated drop in fare revenue as a result of Covid-19, on 26 January 2021, Government decided to extend the temporary funding supports for the licensed bus sector for a further period of 3 months, with an option to extend contracts on a monthly basis thereafter. The NTA, following consultation with operators, has recently finalised a review of the scheme and as a result some changes to services have been implemented.

Given the NTA's statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, I have also forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

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