Minister for Transport Martin Cullen yesterday became the third successive Minister to promise integrated ticketing for public transport in Dublin.
Integrated ticketing is the means by which a passenger can use the same ticket - a "smart card" - to make journeys involving all mass transport services such as Dublin Bus, Luas, Dart and private bus operators.
The proposal was first put forward by the then minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke in 2002.
Mrs O'Rourke said she wanted to see the system in place as soon as possible but conceded it could take two years.
In March 2004 the then minister Séamus Brennan launched the first smart card but it is still restricted for use only on the south Dublin bus company Mortons.
Yesterday Mr Cullen returned to the theme at a launch of a smart card for Luas in the National Museum on the Luas Red Line.
However, he acknowledged the Luas smart card would be restricted for the time being to use on the Luas.
Next year, he promised there would be smart cards for Dublin Bus and Dart. After that all four smart cards would be integrated allowing the vision to become a reality.
Pressed about the long lead-in time for developing an integrated smart card, Mr Cullen said it was a complex process but he declared "I want it rolled out as soon as possible". The smart card will be available from Luas ticket agents along the line.
