Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

655. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if it is intended to make arrangements with the ferry and air services servicing the islands that all island children under eight-years-of-age will be able to travel for free as is provided for mainland service providers in the budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40106/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The recent announcements made in Budget 2025, regarding free travel for children 5–8 years of age, relate only to PSO public transport services that are managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) on behalf of the Department of Transport. Services provided by Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and TFI Local Link are covered by the announcement. Other services funded by the Department of Transport, such as the PSO air service to Donegal, are not included. Similarly, subsidised services to the islands are not covered by the announcement.

Unlike the services managed by the NTA, offshore islands have a mix of subsidised and non-subsidised transport services. Contracts for services to our offshore islands are secured on the open market through a procurement process, thus ensuring that all potential suppliers are treated equally and that the selection process is fair and transparent for all.

Altering fares could have the potential to undermine the procurement procedure and may lead to reduced services to the islands, particularly with regard to non-subsided services and other private operators who may be placed at a disadvantage. Therefore it is not intended to make any such alterations to the fares on any of the subsidised services to our off shore islands.