Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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65. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will issue a policy direction to the National Transport Authority to ensure students from County Donegal and other Borders counties in the State travelling to their third level education in the North of Ireland can avail of the same price reductions for the use of public transport as all other students. [55769/22]

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; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The independent Transport Regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.

The Young Adult Card (YAC) was introduced on PSO services on the 9th of May and then extended to participating commercial bus operators on the 4th of September. This will not only promote modal shift in the transport sector among this age group but should also contribute towards a reduced reliance on private transport with associated benefit of transport emission savings.

The scheme is of great benefit to students attending third level institutions, as students can avail of a 50% reduction over the normal adult fares charges on the entire route, assuming that the origin of the journey and the third level institution are both in the Irish State.

The NTA has informed me that where a service runs from Ireland into Northern Ireland a discount is still available, but is based on the proportion of the journey carried out in the State. For example, if 90% of the journey is through Ireland and the other 10% is through Northern Ireland, then the 50% discount will just apply to the 90% of the journey within the State.

In light of the above I do not intend to issue a policy direction to the NTA nor would this be appropriate.