Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding allocated to the LocalLink bus service in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37011/21]

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. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) which has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which operates under the Local Link brand.

My Department provides aggregate funding for Local Link services to the NTA. Since 2018, the total annual allocation for Local Link services has included funding for Rural Regular Services from the Public Service Obligation (PSO) budget provision. Total allocations (including the aforementioned PSO allocation) for the years 2019 - 2021 are as follows:

2019 - €21.0m

2020 - €23.4m

2021 - €28.2m

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding that was allocated to making public transport accessible for people with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37013/21]

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated additional cost of increasing the funding allocated for making public transport accessible for persons with disabilities by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37014/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 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.

Accessibility features, such as wheelchair access and audio/visual aids, are built into all new public transport infrastructure from the design stage. Newer systems such as Luas are fully accessible.

However, there are legacy issues in relation to older infrastructure and facilities, for example our Victorian era railway stations. To address these infrastructural legacy issues, my Department funds the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme, which is managed by the NTA. The four year capital envelope for public transport announced in Budget 2018 included a multi-annual indicative allocation of approximately €28 million for the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme for the period 2018 to 2021.

The indicative annual allocations, in Budget 2018, under this four year Plan were €4m in 2018, €7m in 2019, €7m in 2020 and €9.8m in 2021. The indicative allocation for 2021 is now €10.6m. This ring-fenced funding of approximately €28m was a trebling of the previous allocation for accessibility under the Capital Plan.

This funding facilitates the continued roll-out of programmes to progressively make public transport accessible, including the installation of accessible bus stops in rural areas, the upgrading of train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and the provision of grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) into the taxi fleet.

Aside from the dedicated Retro-fit Programme for accessibility improvements, there are also other infrastructure projects and programmes which benefit all members of society and which are particularly important for people with disabilities, persons with reduced mobility and older people. For example, “Wayfinding” signage at train stations designed to accessibility standards, helps people with visual impairments.

In addition to funding under the Accessibility Retro-fit Programme, a ring-fenced rail lift refurbishment / replacement programme was established by the NTA in 2020. The programme is to renew and replace life-expired lifts and lifts in poor condition, to ensure the reliability and availability of lift access. Lifts in rail stations out of service significantly impacts people with disabilities, reduced mobility and older people who rely on properly functioning lifts to enable them to access rail services.

On 10 March 2021, Irish Rail announced details of the 2021 rail station lift and escalator replacement and renewal programme. The upgrade of lifts in train stations is a key step towards making public transport accessible for all. The 2021 programme comprises an investment of €5.8 million, funded by the NTA, which includes the boost in Budget 2021 of an additional €2 million allocation from my Department allowing for acceleration of the programme. This additional Exchequer funding from Budget 2021 will accelerate delivery of this accessibility programme.

Any percentage increases over whatever timeframe, using whatever basis, may be calculated from the figures above. However, I would caution that whatever calculations the Deputy might use, such figures would only be speculative. Future funding levels will, as with other programmes and projects, be subject to the annual Estimate and Budgetary processes.