Pa Daly
Question:71. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he will defer the January 2026 toll increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63433/25]
Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Transport Infrastructure Ireland
From the eye-watering price of petrol and diesel to the spiralling cost of insurance, drivers are being hammered with skyrocketing costs at every turn. I ask the Minister of State if he will defer the January 2026 toll increase and if he will make a statement about it. It is a clear political choice from Government, the Ministers and all their supporters. Will the Government have the same courage of its convictions as it did before the elections, when the Minister himself called for the toll charge increases to be scrapped?
I thank the Deputy for his question. First, I want to state that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is at COP30 and that is why he is not here tonight to answer questions. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are here to answer the questions.
It is important to point out that the Minister for Transport has no formal role when it comes to tolls. The setting of tolls is a statutory function of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, and in line with that, the TII board proposed a limited number of toll increases for 2026 on the M50 and the Dublin tunnel, together with changes to toll rates on eight public-private partnership, PPP, routes. The setting of the maximum toll rate each year is largely driven by inflation calculations based on the consumer price index and set out in the by-laws for each toll scheme.
Revenues collected from tolls on the M50 and the Dublin tunnel are invested by TII in the operation and maintenance of the road network. Revenue collected from the eight PPP roads are used by the PPP companies to fund ongoing operations and maintenance activities, as well as to repay loans arising from the construction of the road.
It is important to point out that with regard to private cars, tolls on six of the eight PPP schemes will not change in 2026, with the exceptions being the M3 and M4. In relation to the Dublin tunnel, the tolling arrangements also serve an important demand management function to ensure that non-HGV traffic does not impede the transit of heavy goods vehicles to Dublin Port. To ensure that the tunnel can continue to fulfil its core purpose, a €1 increase in that toll that applies to southbound traffic in the morning was deemed appropriate. Tolls on the tunnel at other times remain unchanged.
Finally, I wish to add that road tolling aligns with national climate policy and the principle that the user pays and that if tolling revenue did not exist, it would be necessary to use additional Exchequer funding to ensure that the national road network is maintained
I hear the Minister of State's response but it is very disappointing because he, the Government and the Minister over in Brazil are trying to wash their hands of it. However, the general public and the voters will see right through this because during the last general election campaign, the Minister himself called for the toll hikes to be scrapped.
Has there been a change of mind since then or was it never really meant by the Government? Was it another broken promise in the run-up to the election? Denying responsibility is not going to satisfy people. They know that the Government has the power to stop this because a previous Government did it.
In a rare move in 2023, the then Government actually listened to the Sinn Féin proposals and deferred the toll increases from that January for a period of six months. While that sticking plaster type response did not go far enough, it was better than what the Government is currently planning, which is putting more burdens on drivers already crippled by some of the highest prices for petrol, diesel and insurance in Europe.
First, I cannot speak for people who made election promises in manifestos. I am here to deal with the question tonight and that is what I am here to do. I note there are 11 toll roads in the State of which ten are on the national roads. The East-Link-Ringsend bridge toll in Dublin is on the local road network. Of the ten tolls, there are two public tolls, namely, the M50 and the Dublin tunnel tolls. Revenue from these tolls is collected directly for TII by operating companies under TII contracts. It also important to say that the toll by-laws for each individual road set out the basis for calculating maximum tolls each year. The maximum tolls are calculated for each vehicle category and TII, which is responsible for collecting the toll, calculates the maximum tolls for the Dublin tunnel and the M50 and decides the actual tolls that should apply. The PPP companies calculate the maximum tolls for the eight PPP concessions and propose the actual tolls that should apply. The mechanism for these calculations is set out in the by-laws. It is important they are there for the maintenance of the road.
The Minister of State has not answered the question about deferring the tolls and whether the Government is going to do that. It has the power to do it and there are other measures it can also take to cut the cost of living and the spiralling costs for drivers. We outlined these in a Private Members’ Bill last week, which we will be voting on tomorrow evening.
The progress that was spoken about in the response last week is as absent as the countermotion, which was supposed to be issued last week, but which never materialised when we were in here in the Chamber.
Is it progress that the Government is standing by while the insurance companies rip people off? Is it progress that the Government punishes drivers who, for whatever reason cannot afford to pay their motor tax upfront and pay it in instalments? Is it progress to hike up the cost of petrol and diesel through the carbon tax increases, which some people in the Minister of State’s Government do not even believe that they have anything to do with? These are hitting lower income and rural drivers who rarely have an alternative option.
First, the question here is about the tolls and what they are doing. To recap again, there were previous tolls on eight PPP roads, the M50 and the Dublin tunnel. There were toll increases in 2025.
At the moment, there are no changes for cars with the exception of a 10 cent increase on the M3 and M4 tolls. There are also increases for goods vehicles across all schemes, a 20% increase for heavy goods vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes having four axles or more on the Kilcock to Kinnegad section of the M4. Not every toll is being increased. The inflation and the CPI index shows that there was a 2% inflation increase between August 2024 and August 2025 and this is within the by-laws.
In fairness, the money raised by TII is used for the maintenance, safety and development of our roads. If we do not have that money, where do we get it?
Transport Policy
Pa Daly
Question:72. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on the scheme for free travel for five- to eight-year-olds; if he will report on the roll-out of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63434/25]
If the Minister for Transport was here, I would ask him to report on the scheme for the free travel for five- to eight-year-olds. I would also ask him to report on the roll-out of the scheme.
This has been heralded for a long time. I do not know how much money was spent on it or what testing was done but there have been problems with it. We have had complaints that the cards do not actually work. There seems to be problems on both Bus Éireann and Iarnród Eireann services. What is the Government doing to address them?
I thank the Deputy for his question. I have no doubt he will join me in welcoming this initiative, which was launched in September and extends free travel on all public service obligation, PSO, services to children between five and eight years of age. This initiative was announced as part of the budget 2025 package of measures and delivers on a key programme for Government commitment to make public transport more affordable and accessible for families. The extension of free travel for children under nine builds on the 2017 introduction of free travel for children under five on subsidised public transport services.
The initiative is important as it both makes public transport more affordable for families and develops a familiarity with using public transport from an early age that will hopefully continue much later in life. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has advised that the card application process is straightforward and efficient and to date, cards have been issued promptly to eligible children.
Approximately 25,000 cards have been issued since 4 September, reflecting strong uptake. While some concerns were raised about the practicality of applying for a card for each child, this requirement is necessary for several reasons: children may travel alone or with different adults; and current validator technology does not permit multiple taps of the same card within a short timeframe, which prevents accidental double-charging. The Leap system, introduced in 2011, is now a legacy platform and cannot support new features such as multiple identities on one card. Individual cards also allow operators and the NTA to monitor usage, providing valuable data on the success of the scheme in promoting public transport usage. The child Leap card expires at the end of the month in which the child turns nine, after which they transition to a child Leap card offering a 67% discount on adult fares. These measures, along with the NTA's recent fare zone adjustments, aim to make public transport more equitable, inclusive and affordable for young people.
It is true we in Sinn Féin support this measure but it has to work in practice. I agree it is good there have been 25,000 cards and agree on the gathering of data to ensure public transport is available to more children and citizens into the future. However, the roll-out has not been going to plan. First of all, it took about a year to get it off the ground and the scheme was not officially launched until September. Even worse, some of the cards required to access the scheme do not work. Parents have contacted us to say not only does their child's Leap card not work but many bus drivers had not heard of the scheme. That is hardly a ringing endorsement of a successful roll-out. The NTA has confirmed to us there are problems with the scheme and has claimed the issues will be resolved when a fix is found and proper testing carried out. How is the Minister of State planning to do that? Why was this situation not anticipated and dealt with before September?
I will bring the Deputy's concerns back. As he knows quite well, the whole piece of the individual cards and the validators on Luas and rail is about ensuring there is not accidental double charging. I disagree with him on the uptake - 25,000 since 1 September is quite a significant uptake. Equally, it is important to recognise that since the launch over 9 million Leap cards have been issued, accounting for €2.7 billion in fare payments. The fundamental core architecture is nearly 20 years old and cannot absorb further functionality. We must work with the NTA to ensure it is accessible and practical and we have as many people using public transport as possible.
I will bring back the concerns the Deputy expressed because we share common ground. It is about accessible, affordable public transport and increasing usage. We must make it easier for people to use the card. This has been a successful scheme but I take the Deputy's point on board.
The Minister of State mentioned introducing subsidised public transport services. I want to raise the issue of rural children being excluded from the scheme because it has not been extended to commercial operators. At a recent appearance at the transport committee, David Conway from the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland said his operators are excluded from the scheme. He found that surprising given they are included with some other elements. Our heavy reliance on commercial transport operators in rural areas is maintained because public transport has not been expanded over the years as it should have been. As a result of this failure and lack of planning, some parents and children have no choice but to use a commercial operator. They were included in the young adult fare scheme but have not been included in this. That is the call from that organisation and from many people in rural Ireland who are obliged to use the commercial operators.
The budget of this year has provided for the continuation of the free child fares on PSO services. The Deputy raised commercial bus operators. The previous Government decision did not include provisions for extending free travel for children reliant on commercial bus operators. While the NTA is responsible for licensing commercial bus services, any decisions regarding fares charged by these services are managed by commercial bus operators themselves, who largely operate without State subvention. Notably, the young adult card scheme was broadened three years ago to include eligible services operated by commercial bus operators on an opt-in basis, with individual operators choosing to participate and the NTA compensating them for the agreed discount. We must encourage and provide for the continuation of public transport for people in rural areas, in particular. As the Minister of State with responsibility for rural transport, I was in Kilkenny this morning at a seminar on that. I look forward to working with the Deputy to have that extended.
Electric Vehicles
Shane Moynihan
Question:73. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider undertaking a review of the current regulatory regime in place for escooters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63600/25]
Will the Minister of State consider undertaking a review of the regulatory regime for e-scooters? He will be aware of the Road Safety Authority survey earlier this year which showed nearly a quarter of regular e-scooter users have been involved in an accident and one third have been involved in a near miss. We know the number of accidents involving e-scooters on our roads is increasing and that 416 e-scooters had been seized by An Garda Síochána as of 6 October this year. We have no regulatory regime in place for the users of e-scooters and I am keen to see action on that.
As Minister of State with responsibility for international and road transport, logistics, rail and ports, I wish to begin by noting that e-scooter users, like cyclists and pedestrians, are vulnerable road users. Their safety is of paramount importance when regulating for safer roads in Ireland. To that end, regulations providing for and governing the safe and legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads were introduced in 2024. The ongoing development of segregated road space is also vital to improving safety for this group of users.
The 2024 regulations cover a wide range of requirements, both usage and technical, including for speed, weight, capacity and power, as well as prohibitions on, among other things, carrying more than one person, the carriage of goods and the use on footpaths. While there is no prohibition on the sale or possession of e-scooters which exceed the statutory parameters, any e-scooter that falls outside of these regulations remains illegal to use on public roads or in public places.
The full list of regulations can be found on the gov.ie website. If an e-scooter or user is in breach of the regulations, An Garda Síochána may seize the e-scooter and may also impose a fixed-charge notice to the value of €50. In addition, e-scooter users, as for cyclists and e-cyclists, must obey the rules of the road. The operation of the legislation through enforcement is, as for all road traffic law, under the remit of An Garda Síochána. My officials meet regularly with An Garda Síochána to discuss matters related to road traffic safety. As with any legislation, I will consider feedback on its operation from An Garda Síochána and other stakeholders and I will act if it is clear that road safety improvements can be made.
The Minister of State will be aware of recent reports of e-scooters being sold openly in Irish shops which do not meet those safety requirements and are, therefore, illegal to use on Irish roads. My fear is we are becoming an outlier in western Europe. In France and Germany, e-scooters and, therefore, the users need to be insured. In Italy, e-scooters need to have a licence plate and be insured and registered. There is a requirement on users to practice safe use of e-scooters.
One interesting aspect of the German model is e-scooters have to come with an operating permit and, to get the permit, the e-scooter must comply with requirements including having a maximum speed of 20 km/h. That enables its sale on the German market.
The time has come to not just look at general regulations. These are different vehicles from push bikes and separate from the use of infrastructure by pedestrians. They are mechanically propelled and that has to be taken into account in the regulations. There is a need for an operator permit model.
I share the Deputy's concerns. The growing number of incidents, accidents and near misses is becoming an issue. As the Minister of State responsible for road safety, I will be reviewing this. I say to him and take this opportunity to say to parents as well that if they are thinking about buying an e-scooter, not to buy one for a child under 16 years of age, please. Many other technical requirements are needed. It is important, especially when you consider the devastation caused by an accident. We have only to look at what happened last weekend in Louth. I sympathise with all the families there. To have such a devastating incident and collision and to see five lives just disappear is profoundly sad for all the families and communities. An e-scooter is a vehicle and a machine. It is important we make sure people are safe on them.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The other aspect of this I am worried about is that anecdotal evidence from my constituency and around the country suggests that e-scooters are being used in many cases to facilitate antisocial behaviour, and because they do not have to be registered to an owner, there is no accountability regarding the vehicle. There are concerns about visibility for other road users. As the Minister of State said, there are also concerns about footpaths being used to facilitate e-scooters, all of which is illegal. The introduction of a regime with registration or insurance requirements would make sure the user would have accountability.
Any regulatory regime would have to acknowledge that e-scooters create convenience for a lot of road users and that they are part of our overall active travel approach. However, a regulatory regime must strike a balance between the need for convenience and the need for safety, not only of e-scooter users but of other road users as well. I would love to work with the Minister of State and other Ministers to bring forward a regulatory regime that would bring that accountability to the use of e-scooters while maintaining their safe use for convenience.
I thank the Deputy for his support and offer because working together is how we will improve safety. I will be talking to my officials about the evidence that has come back since the regulations were brought in in 2024 to see whether patterns have been seen. However, I believe there is a huge lack of understanding of what an e-scooter can do, the power it has and the speed it can go at. We have the regulations and there is an enforcement issue there. I see on the roads people on these scooters without a high-visibility vest, helmet or protection and sometimes without lights. I ask how these people are on the roads and not being taken in. It is an issue. It is a growing problem and I will be looking at it. Road safety and the prevention of accidents and near misses is important. We have to make the road safe for everyone.
National Development Plan
Louis O'Hara
Question:74. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the development of his Department’s sectoral investment plan following the national development plan review; if there is a date for the publication of this sectoral investment plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63319/25]
Will the Minister of State provide an update on the development of his Department's sectoral investment plan following the national development plan review? Is there a date for the publication of this plan?
The Department of Transport's annual capital allocations from 2026 to 2030 were confirmed in the review of the national development plan published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in July. In recognition of the importance of advancing projects in the transport sector, of the €102.4 billion allocated across Government Departments, €22.3 billion has been allocated to the Department of Transport in addition to the €2 billion to advance MetroLink under the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.
The Department is currently finalising its national development plan sectoral investment plan in the context of that capital funding envelope and we expect to be able to publish it by the end of November. When it has been published, it will show the projects where the money will be spent, be it on public transport, public roads, active travel or other measures. We look forward to its publication.
Capital investment is badly needed to expand the availability and quality of public transport services. I look forward to seeing the planned projects. It is critical that works commence on the various infrastructure projects that are badly needed.
For the day-to-day running of our public transport system, PSO funding is important, particularly for bus routes. Before the budget, we heard a funding gap existed between PSO funding and the funding needed for existing services and that this gap could have ranged up to €250 million. Will the Minister of State clarify if this gap still exists and whether the NDP will need to be dipped into in this regard? The funding was increased in the budget but there was no breakdown of how much would be eaten up by existing services. Will the Minister of State outline how much of the PSO funding allocated in the budget will be used to maintain existing levels of service, including the current fare reductions and existing public transport services?
The PSO has been increasing. Why? It is because public transport services are increasing, demand is increasing and we are providing more services. Under the national development plan review, there was a reset of the money available for the PSO. I am satisfied that there is enough money there to meet the existing PSOs and for further development when we publish the new scheme.
It is also important to say that, with the national development plan and the sectoral plan we will produce, we will be looking at a wide range of projects that are ready or in the process of being ready for development in the next five years, such as under BusConnects, in roads, new rail and enhancements of existing rail. The Deputy will be aware that a lot of work is going on in our constituency in Oranmore and Ceannt Station to develop infrastructure to make it ready for additional services. I look forward to their delivery in the next five years.
Can clarity be provided on how much of next year's PSO funding allocation will be used to address the existing funding gap and maintaining existing services? Will the Minister of State provide a breakdown of that, if possible? PSO funding constraints are causing difficulties in the roll-out of services. We know that from our constituency as well. For example, Athenry has been waiting a long time for a bus service. The risk here is that if the PSO funding is not adequate, we will not have a roll-out of services and we could see existing services cease or fares increase for commuters.
This also comes at a time when Bus Éireann is considering the viability of many of its Expressway bus routes. Has the Minister of State or the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, met Bus Éireann management regarding the Expressway route feasibility review? Do they intend to intervene on this issue to ensure the Expressway services across the State are maintained?
I do not have figures on that particular detail of the PSO funding because it was not part of the original question. I can, however, get those figures for the Deputy or they will probably be in the published NDP when we bring it out.
On Bus Éireann services that are being reviewed, I have met representatives of Bus Éireann, as I am sure the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has, but I will confirm that.
As the Deputy will be aware, there is increased demand. For instance, on the rail line between Galway and Limerick, when the piece of the western rail corridor we built between Athenry and Ennis opened, there were 132,000 passenger journeys in the first year. Last year, there were 750,000 passenger journeys. That is the type of increase we are getting. The Deputy knows this. He supports public transport. We are trying to keep ahead of the posse so we give all passengers the experience they need to keep them using public transport rather than going back to cars.