The format is that the first four Deputies will take a minute each. The Minister of State has four minutes to respond. We will then take another Deputy and the Minister of State can respond to them.
Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate
Public Transport
What we are asking for today is simply that the Government lives up to the commitment made in the programme for Government to carry out a new, independent feasibility study for an extension of the MetroLink from where it is currently due to end in Charlemont, out to Dublin south west. I raised this with the Minister for Transport a few weeks ago, and he advised that the study would be carried out but would be done as part of a review of the greater Dublin area transport strategy. While it is welcome to know the study will take place, what we need to know is that it will be an independent study.
The National Transport Authority, NTA, carried out a feasibility study a number of years ago but it was deeply flawed. It examined quite a nonsensical route that finished abruptly in Knocklyon, and therefore it significantly underestimated the cost benefit of the project. From a common sense perspective, it would seem to us to make most sense for the route to carry on all the way to Tallaght to connect with the Luas line, Technological University Dublin, TUD, the Square and the hospital. We ask that the commitment in the programme for Government is delivered.
Tallaght and the wider south-west Dublin region have been among the fastest growing parts of the State for decades, yet transport investment has consistently failed to keep pace with the growth. Thousands of new homes planned and a rising population place even greater pressure on our roads and public transport networks. MetroLink south west cannot be treated as a project for the 2040s or beyond. We need a feasibility study as a matter of urgency in order that real consideration and planning can begin. It must be planned and delivered as a national priority. Our communities need a modern high-capacity public transport system that connects people to jobs, education and healthcare. Delivering MetroLink south west will reduce congestion, support sustainable housing developments and help meet our climate commitments. The south-west Dublin has waited long enough. Tallaght and the surrounding communities deserve the same ambition and investment as other parts of our capital and that work must begin now.
The case for MetroLink south west is extremely strong. There are 350,000 people living between the Luas red and green lines. That is who will be served by this. What we are asking for is for the Government to live up to the commitment in the programme for Government to "[c]ommission an independent feasibility study into continuing MetroLink from the city to southwest Dublin." What appears to be happening from information from parliamentary questions and written correspondence is that is being rode back on. It has now turned into part of this being examined as part of a broader strategic review process by the NTA. In other words, it is just part of a regular, six-yearly review process. Getting the NTA to do it is not independent and it is not a feasibility study. It is there in black and white in the programme for Government and the Government needs to live up to its commitment to do a new, properly independent feasibility study. I appeal to the Minister of State to ask the Minister for Transport to meet with the metro south west group which has been doing such excellent campaigning on this issue.
In a reply to a parliamentary question on MetroLink in April of this year, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, again stated his belief that the MetroLink terminus can facilitate any potential future MetroLink expansion to serve the south west, south or south east of Dublin should sufficient demand develop. That demand is already there. It is expanding to such an extent that the roads are clogged up and every bus is full. Now is the time, before any shovel or tunnel boring machine goes into the ground, to change tack to look ensuring we go beyond the Charlemont terminus. To continue this is foolish, bizarre and would delay addressing the public transport needs of the constituency and of this city. Will the Minister of State ensure that before any tunnel boring machine goes into the ground there is a change? A change needs to happen now.
On behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to address this issue in the House today. As a number of Deputies have alluded to, the programme for Government commits to commissioning an independent feasibility study, continuing MetroLink from the city to south-west Dublin. The Government is committed to undertaking an independent feasibility study for a metro to south-west Dublin. For those reading my script, that is in my final response. However, given that a number of Deputies already raised this, I wanted to clarify it before other Deputies came back in.
Providing an integrated transport network that lets people travel conveniently and efficiently across Dublin is essential as we encourage greater use of public transport. For this reason, we plan and develop public transport in line with the greater Dublin area transport strategy 2022-2042, rather than in isolation, to maximise the use and benefits of each proposal and project. The NTA has statutory responsibility for the transport strategy and must review it every six years, meaning that the next review is due to be concluded by 2028. As part of this review, the NTA will reassess the need for additional metro lines, among other transport options, in the greater Dublin area.
This review will consider updated travel demand forecasts as well as changes in land use and spatial planning policies. This background analytical work is expected to commence over the next year. The feasibility study for a metro to south-west Dublin will be undertaken as part of this broader strategic review process. The Deputies will, I hope, understand that this approach will help ensure that it is considered in an integrated and holistic manner, alongside wider transport and spatial planning objectives for the greater Dublin area.
An Coimisiún Pleanála published its decision to grant the MetroLink Railway Order in October 2025, and a subsequent potential legal challenge was withdrawn following successful mediation by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
This means that MetroLink secured an operative railway order, or full planning permission, in January. MetroLink is now progressing at pace towards procurement and construction. With this key milestone achieved, attention is turning to the preparation of the review of the strategy.
As I mentioned, any consideration of new transport projects will not happen in isolation. The upcoming review of the strategy will ensure that proposals complement projects already under way, including BusConnects. As the Deputies are aware, BusConnects Dublin is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system across Dublin through the roll-out of new routes and the construction of core bus corridors. BusConnects will continue to provide benefits for public transport users across Dublin city and its suburbs, including south-west Dublin. In addition, we must recognise that MetroLink's design and alignment, including terminating at Charlemont in the south of Dublin city centre, will facilitate the seamless integration between MetroLink and any potential new metro line to the south or south west. With MetroLink due to enter construction in the coming years, we will have for the first time the people, skills and knowledge to build and operate metros.
I thank the Minister of State.
I will continue afterwards.
Deputy Lahart is on his own, so he can take the two minutes for his other colleague also.
I will be fair to my colleagues. I welcome the very positive news the Minister of State announced to the effect that the Government is positively committing itself to the consideration of the feasibility study we, as representatives of the various constituencies, are requesting. This is one of the most significant investments in transport in the history of the State, but, for too long, communities in my constituency have watched major transport projects stop short of where growth is happening. We live in a country that was better connected by rail 100 years ago than it is today.
The Deputy does not have to tell me that.
It is truly remarkable that in 1888, one could board a tram in the city and travel all the way to Blessington via Rathfarnham and Templeogue, yet in 2026, we are still arguing for but have now moved much closer to an independent feasibility study to bring modern rail infrastructure to our constituency.
The Minister of State will agree that the best time to build a metro in Dublin was 20 years ago. The second best time is right now. The Government must not make the people in Dublin South-West wait another 20 years to make a decision on this. Her news today is a very positive and welcome step towards making that a reality.
I appreciate that.
As somebody who comes from the west - I did not write this script - I can assure the Deputy that I know what he is talking about when he says that the system was better 100 years ago than it is now. My purpose here today is not to labour that point, it is to answer his questions. Again, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for their comments and for their interest in this important issue. As I have already stated - I will reiterate it - the Government is committed to undertaking an independent feasibility study for a metro to south-west Dublin. Furthermore, the Government recognises the transformational potential of metros, as we will see in the north of Dublin with MetroLink. We recognise that a metro to the south west may offer similar transformational potential.
This year has been significant for MetroLink and the country progressing towards building its first metro line. We have seen significant market engagement and preparations for detailed procurement and the launch of contracts to do the groundwork and enable major construction. MetroLink will be built and will open up opportunities for Ireland, including the expansion and development of a new metro network. As already stated, the potential extension of the new metro line or, indeed, the broader public transport network is not done in isolation. The review of the current greater Dublin area transport strategy will be central to ensuring joined-up thinking and robust planning. This comprehensive approach to planning our public transport network will maximise the opportunities for network integration and the benefits to be gained from expansion in order that we can get the most out of our public transport network. It will also ensure that future proposals complement projects already under way, including Bus Connects, as I have mentioned, and the DART+ and Luas projects that will enter construction in the coming years.
Schools Building Projects
I want to raise the urgent need to progress the long-awaited school building project for St. John Bosco Junior Boys National School, St. John Bosco Senior Boys National School and Mary, Help of Christians Girls' National School on the Navan Road. These schools have served generations of families in communities on the Navan Road and in Ashtown with distinction, but the reality is that the school buildings have reached the end of their life. Parents, teachers, staff members and past pupils all say the same thing whenever I speak to them. These buildings are outdated, deteriorating and no longer provide the modern learning environment that their children and staff deserve.
These are three distinct schools, but they share a common vision. Rather than simply replacing the existing buildings, they have come together with an ambitious proposal to create one educational campus on the existing site. This project has the potential to be one of the most significant primary school developments in the State. However, the project has been stalled at stage 2a since 2024. It now needs real momentum because this is about more than bricks and mortar.
Through my engagement with families across Dublin 7 and into Dublin 15, I know that many parents feel they have too few options when it comes to choosing schools. This is an area where single-sex provision dominates and many families have gone without the suitable option of co-educational schooling. This is not just my opinion; the Department's recent primary school survey confirms it. The survey looked at educational provision through co-education and through multidenominational provision and through the medium of Irish. Some 73% of parents who responded across these three schools supported co-educational provision across Cabra, Phibsborough and Dublin 7, which is their school planning area. Support rose to almost 89% among households with children currently in primary school. The results are striking. In Mary, Help of Christians, 96 out of 140 respondents supported co-education. In St. John Bosco Senior Boys National School, it was 100 out of 131, which is 76%. In the junior national school, 46 out of 60 or 77% supported co-education.
Following the publication of the survey results, I understand that the Department intends to engage with boards of management to discuss the findings and consider the future configuration of schools. I also understand that boards of management have been asked to engage with parents, staff, patrons and the wider community, and to notify the patron and the Department by the end of October as to whether they want to put these results into action. Engagement is welcome. I understand that if about 50% of the school population participated in the survey, schools may want to engage further to bring the whole school community with them. This gives them the timeline to do that.
We have a real opportunity here. There is an appetite for change. That is not just clear in the survey but when I speak to families at their doors, which we are privileged to be able to do when we are canvassing. I have two questions. First, what practical supports will the Department provide to schools that decide they wish to move towards co-educational provision while remaining on the existing campus where they have three separate schools? Is the Department working to a timeline? Second, could the Minister of State assure me that this building project is being actively prioritised and that the design process will be sufficiently flexible to accommodate co-educational provision?
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the joint school project for St. John Bosco Junior Boys School, St. John Bosco Senior Boys School and Mary, Help of Christians Girls' National School in Dublin 7.
This joint school building project will deliver two new 16-classroom primary schools with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs for both the senior boys' school and the girls' school and a new 11-classroom primary school with additional classrooms for children with special education needs for the junior boys' school.
Initially, it had been anticipated that this joint project would be delivered in the form of an extension and refurbishment. However, due to a scope change to include an increase in classrooms for children with special educational needs, it was decided that new school buildings would be provided. The design team submitted the initial stage 1 report in April 2023 and following the submission of an addendum report in August 2023, the project was approved to the next stage. The design team submitted their stage 2a submission report in January 2024.
Upon review, some key concerns were identified by Department officials. From January 2024 to May 2025, there was significant communication between the design team and the Department to discuss and assist in progressing the stage 2a submission to include a review and audit of the floor area schedules to refine some design elements to meet the approved schedule of accommodation.
Upon receipt of the revised stage 2a report, Department officials carried out an initial review. In early June 2025, a further meeting was held with the wider design team, school authorities and Department officials in attendance. At that meeting, the school was provided with a progress update and advised that the design team were due to submit an addendum stage 2a report to the Department. The outstanding information for the addendum stage 2a report was received by the Department officials on 31 October 2025 and is currently under review by them. They visited the school on Friday 27 March 2026 and discussed potential options for a solution with the school authorities. Further discussions were held on 18 June. Department officials will continue to engage and update the school authorities of progress regarding these decisions. In June, the Department issued primary schools with their school-specific patronage survey results and explanatory information, marking the next stage in the process of engaging school communities on the future direction of their schools. Where the survey shows demand for change, boards of management have the opportunity to consider being included in the first group of schools to action the survey results. Schools have been asked to inform the Department and their patron by 31 October 2026 should the school wish to be included in this first group of schools to action the primary school survey results.
This is not simply about replacing old buildings; this is about building a modern educational campus that reflects the needs and the wishes of the families in Dublin 7 and Dublin 15 for generations to come. The community has waited long enough. They deserve a modern school campus and the opportunity to shape the modern provision of education in their area. When we have previously discussed this building project, I have made it clear from the start that it should be an objective that the building be suitable for co-educational provision. That should be in-built into this project. I have had reassurance from the Department that this will be the case. We do not want for a project that has already taken long enough to get to this point to be in any way stalled by progress on co-educational provision. Parents need reassurance today that the Department is ready, willing and able to work with them on providing a new building and that the building will be suitable for the type of education that they want their children to have. What the Minister of State has outlined in relation to the engagement between the school and parents is important. I am confident enough that after that engagement that the parental survey results will still stand because this community wants a new school in a new method of provision.
I agree with the Deputy that this is not refurbishment. In my initial response, I made it clear that this joint school building project will deliver two new 16-classroom primary schools with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs for both the senior boys’ school and the girls’ school and an 11-classroom primary school with additional classrooms for children with special educational needs for the junior boys’ school. I have no information regarding the co-education provision but the Deputy said that she has received assurances and she is happy with them. I will take her at her word.
As part of the NDP implementation plan for the education and youth sector, a first tranche of projects to progress to tender and-or construction during 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026. Prioritisation will continue to identify further tranches of projects to proceed to tender and construction over the NDP period with stakeholder consultation to commence in June 2026. Our NDP implementation plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in an area is insufficient and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money and meets functional needs. The accommodation needs at St. John Bosco junior boys' school and senior boys' school and Mary Help of Christian Girls' National School will be considered as part of the ongoing overall Department-led prioritisation process in consultation with the school's patron and school authorities.
Schools Building Projects
As we are moving towards the recess, I thank the Ceann Comhairle, and indeed, the officials in her office and all of the staff across the House for all of their work during the year that has made this place run so smoothly.
I wish to raise the question of Bunclody Community College. I have had to do it on a number of occasions. This is an excellent and very inclusive school in Bunclody, County Wexford on the Wexford-Carlow border. It has 310 students. It has had a 42% increase in enrolments since 2019. It has an incredibly dedicated principal, staff and board of management, but it also has great supports from the wider Bunclody community. The local councillor there, Barbara-Anne Murphy, has regularly raised this as one of most critical issues around the long-term development of the Bunclody community. To say that the school, and indeed, the wider area are deeply frustrated by the lack of progress is an understatement. This is an excellent school, but when it comes to its physical infrastructure, the school is in dire straits. Of all the schools in the constituency in terms of physical infrastructure that I deal with, it is the worst that I have encountered. There are few anywhere else in the country that I have come across that are more deserving of the necessary work that has to happen. That is not an exaggeration.
I challenge the Minister of State, or indeed, any Deputy to name any other second level school in the country where all but three of the mainstream classrooms are in prefabs. Almost all of the mainstream provision of the school operates out of prefabs. Some of those prefabs are over 20 years old.
It is a split campus, so students have to walk 500 m from one campus in one area of the school to another campus, crossing a busy regional road. That is fine in weather like this, although I know the school is not open at the moment, but the Minister of State, as a teacher, can imagine the pressure that places on students and parents in winter, such as in the winter we just had.
When I submitted a parliamentary question to the Department of education on the number of schools in the country operating on split campuses, I found it unusual that this school was one of the schools included in the reply, even though that fact is a critical part of its application for work to be done.
The process of redeveloping this expanding and very inclusive school started in 2014. I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will remember being approached by the then principal, staff and others. Pressure has been applied. When capital decisions were being made by the Department of education I asked why this school was not included and what criteria were used. I was able to say it is a disadvantaged school, a DEIS school, and one of the top schools in the country for championing support for Traveller education. It is deeply committed to inclusive education for those with disabilities or indeed with exceptional abilities and all students are supported and challenged to thrive. I outlined the physical challenges it faces.
I am sure the Minister of State will read out the Department's response telling us the project is at stage 2b. I have regularly referred to stage 2B in the Department of education as "purgatory". In Catholic philosophy, purgatory is that period of purification so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. I hope the Minister of State will be able to provide some of the joy of heaven for Bunclody Community College in her response today.
The Minister of State might be like the Pope and get rid of limbo.
It is not often I am asked in this House to behave like the man above. I am not sure what I can deliver from purgatory. Nonetheless, I heard what Deputy Byrne said about the conditions, which he told us are unique and among the worst in the country. He also spoke of the commitment of the staff. While I am not personally familiar with the school, I know that schools where conditions are not good or are very poor often have the most committed staff. I have a response here from the Minister for education and my job is to read it to the Deputy.
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for education. The project referred to by the Deputy is devolved for delivery to the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, WWETB. The project brief is to provide an extension to the existing school building, as well as the appropriate refurbishment of those existing buildings to be retained for ongoing educational use. As the Deputy said, the project is currently at stage 2b - I will remember the term "purgatory" again - of the architectural design process. A stage 2b report has been received from WWETB. The report is undergoing a detailed technical and cost review in line with the infrastructure guidelines. All projects, including this one, are subject to such due diligence requirements.
The Department has been actively engaged with the design team and school authority throughout the process and will continue to engage to provide practical advice and assistance on this important project. The Department has a strong track record of investing in the schools building programme, with over €7 billion invested since 2020. This has delivered approximately 1,500 completed school building projects, along with approximately 4,300 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goals.
Over €200 million in capital funding has been invested in Wexford schools since 2020. Over this period, a total of 66 schools in Wexford have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or modular accommodation. There are currently 17 school projects in Wexford under construction.
A total capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth has been confirmed for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan, NDP. As part of this allocation, the Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs.
In relation to project roll-out for large-scale projects and additional school accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.
While not every project could be included in the first tranche, all projects continue to move through the pipeline. Urgent accommodation needs will continue to be met through modular delivery, SEN repurposing and the emergency works scheme. As part of the Department-led prioritisation process under way for 2026 and 2027, consultation with school patrons began last month. A further tranche of priority projects is targeted for publication in 2027, informed by departmental analysis, engagement with patrons and schools, funding parameters and, where relevant, the Department's energy and condition inventory of the school estate, due for completion by year-end.
I appreciate the Minister of State is responding on behalf of the Minister but the response provides nothing new. It is almost a carbon copy of the response I received when I raised this issue in January last. We talk about the NDP allocation, and the Department's response refers to "a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs" and those who are disadvantaged. This is a DEIS school with a large Traveller population. The school made clear, including in a meeting with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, Deputy Michael Moynihan, that while it has a number of SEN classes already, there is also a possibility of developing a special school on a site adjoining the school. This school has a superb record of supporting disadvantaged students, yet it seems to be placed at a disadvantage.
I am conscious the Minister of State referred to additional capital investment in 2027. I fully expect and will continue to campaign to ensure this school is included in the 2027 capital list because it deserved to be addressed before now. I ask the Minister of State to bring back to the Minister, Deputy Naughton, a request that she meet the WWETB, as the patron body, the principal and me to talk about outstanding issues, if any. As the Minister of State said, all of the necessary information has long been provided by the WWETB to the Department. I have outlined the conditions and the Department is aware of them. The Minister of State is right that in times of adversity, it is often the staff and school community that fight better, but these kids and this school deserve a hell of a lot better. They should not be waiting this long to have basic requirements.
I will relay the Deputy's request that the Minister consider meeting him with the WWETB and the school principal. I am not sure what requests have been received, and I cannot speak on the Minister's behalf, but I will certainly relay that request.
The Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for all school pupils and will, in the wider context outlined, ensure each school project on the schools building programme is subject to the due diligence required under the infrastructure guidelines. The Department is required to manage the timing, scope and cost of individual projects in order to remain within budgetary parameters for the overall programme. This involves constant review throughout the project life cycle.
The Department remains committed to providing ongoing guidance and practical support for the delivery of this project. As I outlined previously, WWETB, as the delivery body for this large-scale major project, will continue to engage with the school authorities regarding this important project.
I have to say that the next line of my written reply states that at this stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the completion of this project. I can understand why that meeting is of great importance to the Deputy. The progression of the project tender will be considered as part of the overall prioritisation process, and Waterford and Wexford ETB will continue to engage directly with the school authorities to keep them fully informed of progress.
Strategic Infrastructure
I thank Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, for taking this debate late on a Thursday evening, on the last sitting day of this term.
I would like to talk about the town of Swords in north County Dublin. It is the third largest town by population in Ireland, but it is still treated culturally like a small village with a few airport workers in it. I am not sure how familiar the Minister of State is with Swords, but it is absolutely massive and is undergoing huge change. There is a massive amount of housing being built in Swords, which is welcome. It is all types of housing, from apartment blocks to three- or four-bedroom housing, and it is coming at scale.
Unfortunately, the infrastructure is not coming with the housing. We are currently gridlocked with traffic due to multiple upgrades and works being carried out. I know you cannot make an omelette without cracking a few eggs, but there is a disconnect in the planning of these projects that is causing havoc in Swords. We have a massive issue with our bus network, from bus stops to bus services, and again, we do not have a rail link yet. MetroLink has begun and I believe it is coming, which I am happy about, but it is still ten years away and we have a town of 55,000 people which is getting larger. It is larger than Sligo town and Waterford city; it is absolutely huge. We need bus services, special education classes and some entity to co-ordinate this. It is beyond the county council's capacity, and the Department of housing and infrastructure needs to do this.
Where this is currently hitting hard is in wastewater treatment. We have a very small wastewater treatment plant that has been there for 40 or 50 years and which serviced a much smaller town. It is currently being retrofitted and upgraded, but those works are being delayed. I cannot get across to the Minister of State the smell in the town of Swords right now, particularly in the northern part of the town, because of the upgrading works on the wastewater treatment plant. This is something that has been recurring for years upon years. We need a wastewater treatment plant that is befitting a town of the size of Swords. We need the greater Dublin drainage project to come in for the wider Dublin area, but the people of Swords are suffering.
We do not have our primary care centre yet and we do not have our bus service. Our MetroLink is ten years away and we have traffic gridlock. We do not have enough schools and we have a wastewater treatment plant that is absolutely buckling under the pressure. We welcome the houses. There were no mass protests about housing development in Swords. The majority of people who live there moved there, like myself, in the past 20 years and love living there. We know we need houses and we need sustainable communities, but we cannot deliver this unless we deliver the infrastructure with it.
I ask the Minister of State to have the Department of housing bring in some taskforce or infrastructure manager to monitor, lead and deliver what Swords needs at this point, whether it is a bus stop or a wastewater treatment plant. I do not believe there is a town as big as Swords anywhere else in the country that is undergoing a similar level of growth at this time.
I thank Deputy Smith for raising this matter and for highlighting the significant population growth taking place in Swords. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I am interested to hear the Deputy say it is the third largest town in Ireland. In that context, I understand why he has raised these issues.
The Government fully recognises that the successful delivery of new housing must be supported by timely and co-ordinated investment in the infrastructure required to sustain vibrant and thriving communities. Through the housing activation office in my Department, we are working closely with local authorities, infrastructure agencies and service providers to ensure that housing and infrastructure are planned and delivered together.
Swords is a strong example of this approach in practice. As the population continues to grow, substantial investment is being made across a range of critical infrastructure areas to support both existing residents and future development. A key project is the €21 million R132 connectivity project, funded by the National Transport Authority, which is currently under construction. This project will improve transport connectivity, enhance road safety and strengthen active travel infrastructure, while also preparing the corridor for future strategic public transport investments, including MetroLink and Busconnects.
The Deputy also mentioned a significant issue with wastewater treatment. Alongside this, Uisce Éireann is progressing a major upgrade to the wastewater network along Balheary Road. This investment will provide capacity for almost 3,000 additional homes while improving the resilience of essential services in the area. It is a clear example of how targeted infrastructure investment can unlock housing and support sustainable growth. The Government has also established the €1 billion housing infrastructure investment fund, managed by the housing activation office, to accelerate the delivery of housing-enabling infrastructure nationwide. Under the first call of the fund, Fingal County Council was successful in securing support for a number of important projects, including the Fosterstown Link Road and associated road, active travel, water and wastewater infrastructure in Swords. These investments will help unlock significant additional housing capacity while supporting the long-term development of the area.
More broadly, Fingal County Council is progressing a range of complementary projects, including active travel schemes, public realm improvements and the development of the Swords cultural quarter. Together, these initiatives will enhance connectivity, improve quality of life and reinforce Swords’ role as a sustainable and vibrant county town.
The Government remains committed to working with Fingal County Council and all relevant agencies to ensure the infrastructure required to support housing growth in Swords is delivered in a co-ordinated, strategic and timely manner.
I thank the Minister of State for her response, which speaks to the issue I am raising. Again, she will sense the tone in which I am raising it. There is an awful lot happening and being built, but it is the co-ordination of these works that is the problem.
If I could take just three examples from the Minister of State's response, we have the Sword's cultural quarter which is closed at the Seatown Road. That is one project. The Seatown Road is connected to the R132, which is an old dual carriageway that is down to one lane for the foreseeable future. That is two projects. That is connected to the Balheary Road, where we have the new water main going in to allow for 3,000 new houses. That is a third project. That is three separate roads that are all in one network and are all closed or heavily restricted because of these works happening at the same time. This is impacting thousands of existing residents, and will do so for a significant period.
The works are happening and the homes are being built. Some infrastructure is going in to allow for more building, but there is a huge impact on the quality of life. There will be inconveniences, there is no doubt about it, but this is having a huge impact. People are unable to get to work, college and school on time, and will face those restrictions for the foreseeable future. There are no or very few alternatives because of the way Swords has been designed over the years. On top of that, we have the wastewater treatment plant and the upgrade works which are long-delayed and taking a long time. This is causing huge discomfort to Fingallian's GAA club, other sports clubs and people who cannot open their windows in a wide radius from that wastewater treatment plant.
The council and the Department are doing an awful lot, but there seems to be a gap in the co-ordination of these projects and the medium-term impact this is having on the quality of life for the people of Swords at this time. That is the point I am trying to get across.
The Deputy has a tone of severe frustration.
The Government agrees that the delivery of housing and the delivery of infrastructure have to go hand in hand and creating sustainable communities requires investment, not only in homes, but as the Deputy said, in the transport, energy, water and community infrastructure that supports them. As he also noted, significant investment is already under way in Swords, whether it is the R132 connectivity project, the Balheary Road wastewater upgrade or the Fosterstown link road proposal under the housing infrastructure investment fund. I think that the Deputy accepts that all of those are helping or will help to address key infrastructure requirements while supporting future housing delivery. This demonstrates the value of co-ordinated planning, but in the context in which the Deputy has raised this, all I can say is that the housing activation office will continue to work closely with Fingal County Council, Uisce Éireann, the National Transport Authority, ESB Networks and other stakeholders to identify and address infrastructural constraints and to ensure that investment is aligned with housing growth. I suggest that this is how some of these concerns might be addressed, through co-ordination with a number of these organisations that are working to do this. I have no detail here or expertise, but to me that might be the only possible solution that is there. I can hear the Deputy's frustration and from what he says, I know that some action needs to be taken.
Road Safety
The issue I am raising with the Minister of State is the increase in the number of injuries, including those involving young children, relating to e-scooters and e-bikes. Ten have been killed. Temple Street hospital consultants have been highlighting the number of serious injuries, including the fact that six children are currently in the intensive care unit. The Children's Health Ireland report released today shows the scale of the problem. Eighteen children have been admitted with serious brain injury in the past year. These are all serious injuries. Of those admitted with head injuries, 97% had fractured skulls and 53% required emergency brain surgery. This is a serious matter.
The current laws are not being enforced. The 20 km/h speed limit is not being implemented. E-scooter drivers should be over 16. I have seen children of nine and ten years old on them. They are carrying passengers when they should not. They are on footpaths when they should not be on them. I see them in Dublin, Laois and everywhere else with no lights at night time, particularly in the winter months. I see it in every Laois town, and I have received complaints from every corner of the county about it.
The number of e-scooters and e-bikes has ballooned, but so has the number of serious injuries. Some are travelling at speeds of three times the legal limit. We have all had near misses. I am sure the Minister of State has. If people are shopping in the street or anything like that, they would nearly be crashed into by people on e-scooters. The situation is out of control, and that is only wording I can use for this.
We are dealing with e-scooters and e-bikes, but these are mechanically propelled vehicles. They are not toys. Some of them are capable of travelling at significant speeds comparable to petrol scooters, mopeds and small motorbikes that people need to have a licence to drive.
Some people are calling for a ban on them. I am not in favour of a ban, but we do need to take action quickly. A lot of people use them for work and necessary travel. They are economical to run, have almost zero carbon emissions, take up limited road space and are more environmentally friendly than cars and SUVs, of which there is an increasing number on the road. I do not think we should ban them, but we need to get this right.
What is required is proper regulations for these mechanically propelled vehicles - that is what they are - and for the gardaí to have the training and powers to enforce new laws. The priority has to be enforcing the existing rules around speed limits, so that people stay within the 20 km/h, and ensuring that hey have lights, do not carry passengers and are not on footpaths. These are basic things, but much more than that is needed because of the scale of what we are facing.
If people have to pass a test to drive a small motorbike or scooter, they should have to do the same thing for these e-bikes, some of which are as fast as small motorbikes or scooters and maybe even faster. Helmets need to be compulsory. People are suffering serious head injuries and head traumas. The consultants felt that they had to come out to the media and call on us to do this. We need to have registration. They can be registered when they are bought. We should know who owns them and they should third party insurance. If a driver crashes into someone and injures them, who picks up the medical bill for it? It is the unfortunate shopper.
There needs to be an urgency about this. It is a public safety issue, and the public are demanding action. Can this House bring in legislation as a matter of priority in September? I believe there is support for it across this House and the public would certainly support it, including some people who use e-scooters.
I thank the Deputy, and on behalf of the Minister for Transport, I want to thank him for raising this issue.
He is quite right. A lot of people are speaking about this. We have always been aware, but we have become more acutely aware in recent times, of the serious brain injuries sustained in many cases by children who use e-scooters and the inherent dangers in how e-scooters are being used.
From the Government's perspective, we introduced a comprehensive suite of regulations in 2024 to govern the safe use of e-scooters in public places. These include the Road Traffic (Electric Scooters) Regulations 2024 (SI 199 of 2024), which provides for technical standards and conditions for safe use, including a minimum age of 16 and a speed limit of 20 km/h. The Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 2024 (SI 200) provides that signs for bicycle use will also apply to e-scooters. The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 222 of 2024) provides for traffic rules, including forbidding use on motorways, footpaths and pedestrianised areas. The Road Traffic (Use of Powered Personal Transporters) Regulations 2024 (SI 224 of 2024) provides that other types of powered personal transporters, PPT, and e-scooters that do not comply with the regulations will remain illegal to use in public places. There is also the previous regulation from the Road Traffic Act 1994, but I am not going to go into that at the moment. Key limitations are already in place in relation to speed restrictions of 20 km/h and it is illegal for drivers to use them on a footpath, carry passengers or have a seat.
In relation to the Deputy’s question, section 5 of SI 199 of 2024, Road Traffic (Electric Scooters) Regulations 2024, sets a minimum age of 16 for the use of these vehicles. Ongoing consideration is being given to restrict the supply of an e-scooter to persons under the age of 16 by including a provision in the upcoming road traffic Bill, similar to section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 2004.
E-scooters that do not conform with the e-scooter regulations are illegal for use on Irish roads and the enforcement of all road traffic legislation is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
Unfortunately, I do not get any sense of urgency from the Minister of State that we are going to have laws introduced in September or October, and that is the crucial issue. Yes, we have rules now, and she listed them out in relation to the signs.
However, they are being ignored. The only place e-scooters are not being used is on the motorways, but they are being used extensively on footpaths and pedestrianised areas.
The type of scooters that do not comply remain illegal if they travel at more than 20 km/h. E-bikes need to be treated the same. Some do multiples of that speed, and very few do less unless they are kids’ toys. An ordinary e-scooter should not be treated as a toy. The 16-year-old age category is being completely ignored. I would appeal to parents who still think that these are children’s toys. They need to wise up for the safety of their own children and the general public. There is a role for the Government, but there is also a role for the public, which I accept. The existing rules the Minister of State has set out here are not being implemented. Either gardaí do not have the training or do not have the powers. That is the first thing.
Second, we must go further. Who covers the cost? If a pedestrian has a hip or a knee broken or, God forbid, something worse, who picks up the insurance cost? Why do we not have registration of ownership when they are bought so they are registered to an owner? Why is a helmet not compulsory? It is compulsory on a Honda 50, and some of these go much faster. We need to be careful. We need to have it for e-bikes as well. Why do the people who use them not have to know the rules of the road and pass a basic test? These are very basic requirements. If we do not do this, we are failing the public, and the safety of the public is our primary responsibility. We are also failing those people who drive them safely. We need to make sure that people can use them safely for work purposes and essential travel.
I thank the Deputy. In response to his question about the urgency of this, the Department of Transport is examining the issue of mandating the wearing of helmets, high-vis clothing and protective equipment for e-scooters and e-bikes, along with other road safety focused measures. Proposals in this regard are under consideration by Ministers. The Department is also considering the matter of registration for e-scooters. Any system of mandatory registration requires significant development work to act effectively and efficiently. A registration system for e-scooters would need to address various issues, including how to verify the identity of individuals who use them, safe and visible placement of registration plates and sufficient resourcing for the registration body. In addition, there are no harmonised technical specifications for e-scooters equivalent to the EU-type approval for other vehicle types in place across the EU. These issues will need to be carefully assessed and addressed. However, the Deputy should not think this means it is not being treated as a matter of huge concern and urgency.
As this will be my last opportunity in this Dáil session, I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and all the staff here in Dáil Éireann for their genuine support and for all the help they give us throughout the year. I think most of us are looking forward to some bit of a break. I wish everyone a nice break over the summer. I look forward to seeing everyone back here in September.
Many happy returns for a successful and fruitful recess. Thank you.