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

102. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development whether it is intended to extend free travel for children under nine years of age to islanders up to nine years of age using ferry and air services to and from the islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40282/24]

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 under nine 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, ferry and air 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. My Department secures contracts for passenger ferry services for the islands on the open market through a procurement process. This ensures that all potential suppliers are treated equally and that the selection process is fair and transparent for all.

For subsidised ferry services to remain affordable for the duration of an agreed contract, the Department sets out - within the tender document - the maximum fare an operator can charge visitors and islanders respectively for using the service. Each operator is free to set their own prices up to the maximum rates specified within the tender document.

The maximum islander rate represents a significant discount compared to the standard visitor rates, in order to ensure that the services are affordable for island communities at all times of the year.Altering the terms upon which the tender is based, such as fares, may 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.

As the Deputy will appreciate, any unilateral action by my Department to alter the terms of existing contracts, such as introducing a new fares structure, could represent a breach of contract and bring the process into disrepute. Therefore, it is not intended to make any alterations to the fare structure on any of the subsidised services to our off shore islands.