Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 December 2025
227. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the reason his Department does not require the National Transport Authority to collect and report local breakdowns, repeat incidents, and repair costs relating to vandalism of public bus shelters; the reason this information is not monitored at Department level despite annual public funding; and the steps he will now take to ensure full transparency and proper oversight of this infrastructure. [68996/25]
View answer228. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the measures he will introduce to address the rising levels of vandalism of public bus shelters nationwide; the actions he will take in response to the five-year national figures provided to his Department; and the directions he will now give to the National Transport Authority to protect public infrastructure used by commuters, including schoolchildren, older people, and workers. [68997/25]
View answer229. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the controls his Department has in place to ensure transparency and accountability in how vandalism repair and maintenance costs for public bus shelters are managed; the reason his Department does not track the financial impact of vandalism under current contractual arrangements; and the steps he will now take to require clear reporting and performance obligations in future contracts. [68998/25]
View answer230. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the reason he has permitted a national public transport infrastructure programme to operate without basic monitoring of vandalism trends, without cost reporting, without local data, and without any security plan for thousands of bus shelters; and the actions he will take to bring this system in line with normal governance standards expected of publicly funded infrastructure. [68999/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 228, 229 and 230 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of bus stops/shelters nationally.
There is a commitment under the Programme for Government to ensure that public transport operators provide safe and accessible access for all passengers and a commitment to work with local authorities and national bodies to improve public transport options and infrastructure.
All governance arrangements for public transport initiatives, including the provision of bus stops/shelters, funded through my Department are in line with the requirements set out in the Infrastructure Guidelines. Governance arrangements are under constant consideration to ensure they reflect the scale of relevant initiatives, provide effective oversight of projects and achieve value for money.
Noting the NTA's responsibility for this information, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
