Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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130. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 53 of 17 June 2021, his plans to commission a stand-alone feasibility study of light rail in Galway which would feed into the upcoming review of the Galway Transport Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43905/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy knows, I believe that a feasibility study for light rail in Galway would best be considered within the context of the review of the Galway Transport Strategy, which will commence next year, rather than a stand-alone study.  This will allow for a multi-modal perspective and integration within an overall land-use plan.  

The review of the Strategy will be led by the National Transport Authority in cooperation with Galway City Council and Galway County Council.  As with the current review of the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, the review will include a comprehensive analysis of changes to population projections, development density, employment forecasts and future travel demand patterns since the finalisation of the current Strategy in 2016.  This analysis will be utilised to reassess the public transport needs across Galway city and the potential role all modes of transport, including light rail, can play in meeting those needs.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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131. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will commit to a study of the benefits of free public transport in his Department such as have taken place in Estonia and Luxembourg; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43939/21]

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.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has the statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares in relation to public passenger transport services  and also has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport services by way of public transport services contracts in respect of services that are socially necessary but commercially unviable.  The funding of those services comprises both the fares paid by passengers and the subvention payments from the Exchequer.  The main purpose of the subvention payment is to meet the gap between income from fares and the cost of operating services.

The provision of public transport services nationally is heavily dependent on passenger fare revenue as it normally contributes about 65% of the operational cost.  The remaining 35% of cost is covered by the PSO grant and the Department of Social Protection grant under the Free Travel Scheme.   In Budget 2020, and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, a total of €304 million was provided for PSO and Local Link rural regular services.  Due to the impact of Covid-19, which resulted in the collapse of fare revenue on public transport, a further €370 million was allocated to enable the continued operation of public transport services in 2020.  My primary focus is to ensure that public transport services continue to operate during this pandemic and I secured almost €659m for PSO services in 2021, of which €30m is to support the licensed bus sector.

In addition, the cost of providing the additional fleet, depots, drivers, etc. to meet the likely resultant substantial increase in passenger numbers if fares were reduced or eliminated would also have to be factored in.  Introducing free public transport for all users would require substantial additional funding by the taxpayer or from other sources.

Any assessment of a proposed change to public transport fare structures would be a matter for the NTA to consider in the first instance. I have therefore forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.