Integrated ticketing will begin in 2009 on Dublin Bus, Luas and the private operator Morton's Coaches but it could be up to a year later before it is extended to Iarnród Éireann, Dart, commuter services and Bus Éireann, the Dáil has been told.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said the system would start in September 2009 and would be extended to rail services and Bus Éireann on a pilot basis on a number of its commuter routes "within a further 12 months".
Initially estimated to cost €12 million, it is now set to cost €49.6 million, although Mr Dempsey pointed out that this was a pre-tender price and "we will have to wait and see what the tenders turn up".
Dublin Bus will launch its interim smartcard scheme in summer 2008 and Iarnród Éireann will follow suit with its own interim scheme in 2009.
"Some €12.5 million has been paid out by the exchequer on integrated ticketing since the inception of the project in March 2002," Mr Dempsey said.
Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd said "it is 12 years since this project was first mooted, having an initial cost of €30 million, and there was "an appalling waste of public money".
Labour spokesman Tommy Broughan said Mr Dempsey was the "fourth or fifth Minister who has promised us integrated ticketing".
He called on the Minister to "take personal responsibility that in August 2009 there will be integrated ticketing".
Mr Dempsey said he was in the Department of the Environment when the system was first discussed and "I expected the project to be completed much earlier," but the current timescale "is being maintained".
