Written Answers Nos. 172-191
172. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the EU funding opportunities that will be open for application for schemes under his Department and at agencies under his aegis in the next six months and in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56446/25]
View answerThe Department of Defence and agencies under it's aegis do not administer any schemes for directly accessing EU funding.
173. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the railway safety (amendment) Bill; and when this Bill will move to the next phase. [56072/25]
View answerThe Government approved the drafting of additional matters for inclusion in the Bill on 29 September 2025 and to amend of the title to Railway Safety Bill. My Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to progress drafting with the aim to have it completed in November. The Bill is listed as a priority for publication for the Autumn legislative programme.
174. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport if CIÉ plans to let out the vacant retail units on the concourse area of Connolly Station; and when each of those vacant units within this area were last in use, in tabular form. [56073/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport in Ireland. The property affairs of CIÉ are matters for the CIÉ Board in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Acts 1950 and 1964.
Accordingly, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to CIÉ for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
175. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the waiting list for driving test applications; the number of driving testers; the waiting list for HGV tests; the number of driving tests taken; the number of HGV driving tests taken in 2020 to 2025, by month in the past 24 months, by test centre, and by county, in tabular form. [56078/25]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, including all testing and scheduling matters. Accordingly, the information requested is held by the RSA.
Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct, detailed response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
The Deputy may wish to note that the RSA publish detailed monthly information on the driver testing service on the CSO website, including the breakdown of waiting times and distribution of testing capacity by test centre. This information is available at the following link: https://data.cso.ie/product/RSADTS.
176. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport if public toilet facilities (details supplied) will be made available at Killarney bus station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56088/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
177. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of disqualified drivers in court in 2024; the number of disqualified drivers who surrendered their licences in court; the number of disqualified drivers in court who did not surrender their licence that were matched to the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF); the number of disqualified drivers in court who were not matched to the NVDF; the number of disqualified drivers in court who were partially matched to the NVDF; the number of disqualified drivers in court that are identifiable to Gardai on the Garda mobility app; and the number who are not identifiable on the Garda mobility app. [56103/25]
View answer178. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of disqualified drivers in 2024 who were not identifiable on the Garda mobility app, by foreign licence holders, no licence holders and Irish licence holders. [56104/25]
View answer179. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the process involved in matching disqualified drivers in court to the National Vehicle and Driver File; and the length of time for same. [56105/25]
View answer181. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of drivers disqualified in court to date in 2025; the number of individual disqualification orders his Department received from the courts on those disqualified drivers; the number that did not include a driver number in the order; the number that were later matched manually by the RSA within the disqualification period; the name of the outside agency employed by the RSA to carry out this work; the time limit for matching before a shell record is created by his Department; the number of unmatched disqualifications that were placed on a shell file record; the number that could not be matched; the number that were Irish licence holders with records then deleted from the shell record; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56112/25]
View answer182. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of learner permit holders disqualified in court to date in 2025; the number of individual disqualification orders his Department received from the courts on those drivers; the number that did not include the driver number on the order; the number that were matched manually by the RSA within the period of the disqualification ; the timeframe for matching same; the number of unmatched disqualifications that were placed on a shell file record; the number that could not be matched within the disqualification period; the number that were then deleted from the shell record; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56113/25]
View answer183. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of drivers disqualified in court that resulted in a mismatch being inputted onto his Department’s driver file record database to date; the number of mismatches reported to date; the procedure used when a mismatch has been discovered; if the driver file database is regularly monitored and checks made on each record to verify identical matches to the driver who was disqualified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56114/25]
View answer184. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the timeframe to allow the Garda mobility app to have direct instant access to driver licence information held on the driver file database at the roadside; the timeframe to provide Gardaí with instant access to data on the driver file on the categories of licences and permits and number of penalty points held, at the roadside, to assist them in enforcing road traffic laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56115/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 177, 178, 179, 181, 182, 183 and 184 together.
My Department's National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) database serves as the official record for driving licence, penalty point, and disqualification information.
The Courts Service notifies my Department of court disqualification orders via an API (application programming interface). This API attempts to automatically match records received to a driver using the details provided by the Courts Service. For records matched in this manner, the licence is endorsed automatically with the disqualification. The records that fail automatic validation by my Department are sent to RSA, who have a contract partner to attempt to manually match the records. If no match is found, a ‘shell’ record is created in the NVDF to track the disqualification. If a match is found, the disqualification is endorsed on the driver record. A licence is only endorsed with a disqualification when there is no doubt about the accuracy of the match.
My Department has made a concerted effort to deep dive into this area for recent months in 2025. This is ongoing but preliminary results indicate that approximated 15-20% of court disqualification orders have a driver number attached. Due to diligent matching by RSA's contractor, the final match rate is around 75%. The contractor match all records within two weeks of receiving them.
It is important to note that some disqualifications are issued to individuals who do not hold, or have never held, an Irish driving licence, or who hold foreign licences. As a result, not all disqualification orders can be matched to an existing NVDF record?and in such cases a licence clearly cannot be surrendered.
Additionally, some disqualifications affecting Irish licence holders remain unmatched due to the individual’s failure to present their licence in court. This issue has been highlighted in the Garda Inspectorate Report and is the subject of ongoing collaboration between the Department of Transport, the Department of Justice, and the Courts Service.
A notification of disqualification is issued by the Courts Service for drivers convicted of a court disqualification, the notification includes the requirement to surrender the driving licence or learner permit to the RSA within 14 days of commencement of disqualification.
It is important to note that, while the non-surrender of licences is of concern, the more important issue from a road safety perspective is that the disqualification from driving is observed. The individuals in question are fully aware of the Court's decision and the disqualification from driving is in effect regardless of whether their licence is surrendered.?
An Garda Síochána have had access to the NVDF for many years and have used NVDF data at the roadside using their mobility app for at least three years. Since then, they have been able to detect disqualified drivers at the roadside. Since the middle of this year my Department has begun sending a timelier (every 24 hour) file and with some additional data. I can confirm that this new data feed includes the categories of licences and permits and number of penalty points held. I believe these new data are being incorporated by An Garda Síochána into an updated version of their mobility app. My Department does not have data or statistics on the use of An Garda Siochana’s mobility app or on the timeframe for roll out of updates to this app to members of An Garda Síochána. The data available to An Garda Siochána also includes whether licences are surrendered or not.
In 2024 7,858 drivers were disqualified in court. Of these 7,858 drivers, 5954 were successfully matched to a driver record and 1,904 were not matched. 635 of these surrendered their licence to the RSA.
My Department intends to publish more complete data on the matching process in the near future., once the analysis noted above is completed.
180. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Transport if he or his Department are aware of the lack of carriages on commuter trains to Heuston; his discussions with TFI regarding this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56108/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
185. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of the fines charged to each bus operator for not meeting their service level agreements; the reasons for the value of each fine in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [56253/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators, in this case Dublin Bus.
The performance of all public transport operators is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators. These contractual arrangements allow for not just the monitoring of performance by the NTA and the publication by it of annual performance reports, but importantly, the contracts also allow for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standard.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
186. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with Irish Rail and the NTA in relation to opening up catering services on additional routes; the progress being made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56254/25]
View answerAs Minister of State, I have responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Irish Rail. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
187. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport to urgently provide funding to upgrade one of Ireland’s premier tourist routes, the Tralee to Dingle road in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56304/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is also subject to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals. In this context, TII is best placed to advise you in relation to the N86.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
188. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport the reason the RSA refuses to release detailed crash data to local councils and road planners (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56415/25]
View answerFirstly, it is important to clarify that the RSA has not refused to release collision data to local authorities. The RSA provided this information to local authorities until legal advice sought by the local authority sector indicated that the legislative basis by which they received and processed collision data was insufficiently robust from a GDPR perspective. On foot of this advice, local authorities requested that they RSA no longer send them collision data, and this data flow has been paused since November 2023.
From November 2023, the RSA led a cross-Government group that engaged intensively on the sharing of collision data, resulting in a detailed submission from my Department to the Data Protection Commission on 31 May 2024 setting out the data fields to be shared and associated rationale.
The DPC approved this submission on 10 June 2024. With this approval, on 21 June 2024, a Ministerial Order was made under Section 8 of the Road Safety Authority Act to underpin the exchange of collision data between An Garda Síochána and the RSA. Now, the next step is to give local authorities the legal basis to receive and process this data.
The National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2025 provides, inter alia, for the sharing of traffic collision data with local authorities. The General Scheme of the Bill was approved by Government in April and the Bill is a priority for drafting during the current legislative term. Once published, enactment is subject to Oireachtas scheduling and to approval of the Bill by the Oireachtas.
Finally, it is important to note that, as an interim measure, the Department of Transport continues to detailed collision analysis on the regional and local road network to identify locations of interest. When locations of interest are identified, the Department notifies the affected local authority. In turn, local authorities can apply for funding of low-cost safety schemes for these locations of interest. As such, collision data continues to be an important input into local authorities' investment decision-making, albeit through an indirect route pending the passage of primary legislation.
189. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Transport the EU funding opportunities that will be open for application for schemes under his Department and at agencies under his aegis in the next six months and in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56459/25]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
The Department of Transport and its agencies seek to leverage appropriate EU funding opportunities, to complement exchequer funds and to help ensure that we deliver a significant investment in public transport in the years and decades to come.
The Irish Ports of National Significance are our key international maritime gateways, handling approximately 90% of all tonnage. As an island nation, we recognise that we must be capable of delivering additional ports capacity and the importance of ports in connecting Ireland to the rest of the world in terms of trade and transport.
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a key driving factor in supporting Irish Ports to deliver on their capital investment projects in order to facilitate this development and expansion. In July 2024 two Irish port projects were selected to receive more than €112m in funding from the CEF Funding for Transport fund- Dublin Port MP2 Project and Port of Cork Expansion Project. In addition, it was announced in July 2025 that Rosslare Europort has been selected to receive €19.2 million towards their Green Drift project.
The Department continues to monitor and engage with the ports regarding their future plans and will remain proactive in exploring any funding opportunities that may become available to them. Details of such plans can be provided directly by the ports.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including in relation to rail, together with Iarnród Éireann (IÉ). The operation, maintenance and renewal of the rail network is a matter for IÉ in the first instance.
Noting the NTA and IÉ's responsibility in this matter, as well as TII's responsibility in relation to wider transport infrastructure projects, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA, to TII and to IÉ for a more direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
190. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the reduction in VAT on apartment sales announced as part of Budget 2026, if these reductions will be passed on to approved housing bodies purchasing completed apartments through turnkey and forward purchase arrangements. [56062/25]
View answer191. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the VAT reductions on apartment sales announced in Budget 2026, when apartments are delivered through forward funding and direct construction contracts for approved housing bodies, the way in which the benefit of any corporation tax changes on construction expenses will be passed on under such arrangements. [56063/25]
View answer192. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Finance in relation to the VAT reduction on apartment sales, the way in which this reduction with interact with the sale price and stamp duty calculations. [56064/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 191 and 192 together.
As part of Budget 2026, I announced a number of tax changes that are being introduced to incentivise the provision of new residential units.
The VAT rate on the sale of apartments as part of a social policy, has been reduced from 13.5% to 9%. Following a Financial Resolution passed by the Dáil on Budget Day, this measure applies from 8 October 2025 until 31 December 2030, and this will be confirmed in the Finance Bill. The policy aim of the rate reduction is to stimulate the supply of apartments by helping to address the viability gap and accordingly supporting the policy for more and higher density housing.
VAT operates across the EU in accordance with a common framework set by EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law is required to comply. Generally, VAT on a supply depends on the VAT rate and the selling price the supplier business charges its customer. In most economic sectors, businesses are free to decide on the price level that they charge their customers and on changes to that level. VAT law does not regulate the selling price, nor does it require businesses to alter prices when VAT rates are raised or lowered.
As regards the application of the 9% VAT rate, including for approved housing bodies, as each development will have its own nuances, parties involved, different obligations etc., the facts and circumstances of each development and its contractual arrangements would need to be examined to determine the correct treatment for VAT purposes.
Stamp Duty on the sale of housing is calculated on the VAT-exclusive price. If the supplier of an apartment increases the VAT-exclusive price, it increases the base on which the stamp duty is calculated.
In a further Budget 2026 measure to incentivise the provision of new residential units, I also announced an enhanced corporation tax deduction for certain costs incurred on the construction of apartment blocks, and for the conversion of non-residential buildings into apartment blocks, to improve the viability of such developments. The measure will be legislated for in the Finance Bill and will be available for projects for which a first Commencement Notice is submitted between 8 October 2025 and 31 December 2030. The enhanced deduction is designed to address the viability gap that currently exists between the cost of developing apartments and viable market prices, by reducing corporation tax payable on profits.
The enhanced deduction is available to companies carrying out a property development trade which consists wholly or mainly of the construction or refurbishment of buildings or structures with a view to their sale. The measure allows a 125% deduction for expenditure that is deductible in computing profits from a property development trade for corporation tax purposes, subject to certain conditions and to a maximum enhanced deduction of €50,000 per apartment in a qualifying apartment block.
The enhanced deduction is available to the beneficial owner at the time of completion. As each development will have its own nuances, parties involved, different obligations etc., the facts and circumstances of each development and its contractual arrangements would need to be examined to determine the application of the enhanced deduction.
Full details of these measures will be set out in the Finance Bill as published this week.
Where an AHB purchases a completed apartment block development from a developer company that is entitled to the enhanced deduction in respect of eligible expenditure it incurred in relation to the development, it may be possible that the AHB will benefit from the enhanced deduction, depending on the pricing arrangements between the parties. Where an AHB enters into a construction contract for the development of apartments, in respect of which the AHB, rather than the developer company, will be the beneficial owner on the date that the certificate of compliance on completion is lodged with the relevant local authority, the developer company will be unable to avail of the enhanced deduction. Where an AHB is not itself carrying out a relevant property development trade the profits from which are chargeable to corporation tax, then it will not be in a position to claim the enhanced deduction.
As each development will have its own nuances, parties involved, different obligations etc., the facts and circumstances of each development and its contractual arrangements would need to be examined to determine the application of the enhanced deduction.
