Written Answers Nos. 700-720
702. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the number of people waiting to sit their driving test at Dungarvan test centre as of December 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1490/26]
View answer703. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport the average waiting time to be invited to sit a driving test at Dungarvan test centre as of December 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1491/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 702 and 703 together.
Under 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. Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
Pending this response, I wish to advise the Deputy that the statistics for driving test waiting times by test centre are also made available on the CSO website. The data is typically updated in the first week of each month and can be accessed at the following link: data.cso.ie/table/ROA36.
704. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport to allow for the exchange of certain or all US drivers licenses (details supplied) for Irish licenses in line with reciprocal arrangements with other countries/states; if he will acknowledge the considerable issues non-allowance causes for many people who return or move to Ireland to live and work and if he will explain the rationale for excluding certain countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1518/26]
View answerAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that Irish driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law - the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply. The standards for testing drivers are set at EU level and EU driving licences are recognised and exchangeable when a person moves from one Member State to another.
Ireland may make bilateral driving licence exchange agreements with non-EU jurisdictions. This is a technical process. Reaching an agreement is not a matter of political will and the core principle is to ensure the continued safety of Irish road users. Agreements may be made only when the authorities in each jurisdiction have compared the licensing regimes and are satisfied that they are compatible. For Ireland, this task is undertaken by the Road Safety Authority.
The Programme for Government 2025 has a commitment to “Work to facilitate the easier return to Ireland for emigrants, including reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada”. Ireland has licence exchange agreements with Australia and with seven of the ten Canadian provinces.
Ireland does not currently have LEAs with any US state. However, in line with Irish Programme for Government commitment, the Department of Transport is giving priority to exploring licence exchange options with US states with large Irish-born populations. Three states, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey, have been chosen as the initial states for this process.
The RSA is currently engaging with the Department of Motor Vehicles in New York to complete the technical review and has also contacted the licensing authorities in New Jersey and Massachusetts.
The Department cannot intervene or comment on review proceedings while they are ongoing as this is an independent technical assessment and must be free from any political inference. Undertaking such a technical review is not a straightforward matter and can take up to two years to conclude.
Once the RSA's reviews of these three states have been completed and its recommendations have been reviewed by the Minister, other US states may also be considered as candidates for exchange. As always, the road safety of Irish road users will be paramount when those decisions are made.
705. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the number of times the two double decker buses operating on Route 424, Galway to Lettermullen have broken down or been out of service since their deployment in 2025; the measures being taken to ensure these buses are fit for purpose and to improve reliability on this route (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1546/26]
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.
706. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if he will prioritise funding for section 3 Ennistymon to Miltown Malbay and section 4 Miltown Malbay to Moyasta of the proposed Clare Greenway in 2026, given that these sections were omitted from a funding announcement by his Department in 2025 and are at risk of not advancing through the various pre-construction stages that are required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1553/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to Greenways. In line with Section 32 (2) of the Roads Act 1993, the planning, design, and construction of individual Greenways is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. Investment in Greenway and National Roads Active Travel projects is also subject to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines and necessary statutory approvals.
Noting the above position, I have referred your question, on this occasion, to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
707. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport when the national camera based enforcement strategy will be opened for public consultation; the reasons for delay in publishing the draft strategy submitted in May 2025; the timeline for enactment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1584/26]
View answerThe increased deployment of safety cameras in the coming years is a key action to be delivered under the Phase 2 Action Plan of the all-of-Government Road Safety Strategy. The Phase 2 Action Plan was published in July 2025 and includes 12 primary actions supplemented by a further 77 support actions. These actions are being delivered collaboratively by road safety partners and align with commitments in the Programme for Government.
At the request of my Department, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, working with other road safety stakeholders, developed the first National Safety Camera Strategy. An initial draft was forwarded to my Department in May 2025, with extensive engagement between lead agencies then required to agree recommendations, roles and responsibilities going forward. The Strategy be subject to approval by the Road Safety Leadership Group, which I Chair.
Work on the first National Safety Camera Strategy is now at an advanced stage. My Department is working closely with road safety stakeholders, including the NTA, TII, RSA and An Garda Síochána, on how best to implement the Strategy. The Strategy will, focus on speeding, red light running, and bus lane infringements, with flexibility for the enforcement of other types of offence in future.
It is expected that the Strategy will be approved early in 2026. Once this strategy is in place, it will provide the framework for increased deployment of cameras across the network, in both urban and rural locations, to assist with the enforcement of a wide range of road traffic offences.
708. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the reason the installation of traffic cameras in junctions in Dublin city to catch motorists that break red lights has been shelved (details supplied); his plans to proceed with the installation of traffic cameras at the proposed locations at a later date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1585/26]
View answerThe increased deployment of safety cameras in the coming years is a key action to be delivered under the Phase 2 Action Plan of the all-of-Government Road Safety Strategy. The Phase 2 Action Plan was published in July 2025 and includes 12 primary actions supplemented by a further 77 support actions. These actions are being delivered collaboratively by road safety partners and align with commitments in the Programme for Government.
Work on the first National Safety Camera Strategy is progressing and is now at an advanced stage. The Department is working closely with all road safety stakeholders including the NTA, TII, RSA and An Garda Síochána on how best to implement the Strategy. The Strategy will, focus on speeding, red light running, and bus lane infringements, with flexibility for the enforcement of other types of offence in future. It is expected that the Strategy will be approved early in 2026. Once this strategy is in place, it will provide the framework for increased deployment of cameras across the network, in both urban and rural locations, to assist with the enforcement of a wide range of road traffic offences.
Once finalised the safety camera strategy will allow for clear identification of the scale and ambit of the overall camera enforcement system needed, which will then allow the appropriate structuring of the procurement process to meet the potential scope of the system, and ensure that the system and any operational contracts are sized and planned correctly. It is the view of the NTA that tendering for equipment and services for just one or two isolated junctions would not provide a system that would be scalable to include other junctions, other areas and other offence types. Extending such an arrangement on an ad hoc basis would require new tender competitions, potentially leading to multiple different camera types and multiple operators, which would create difficulties in both integration and enforcement consistency.
709. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport when the draft report on the flight of Israeli war planes will be published; the reason for the delay in publishing since March 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1586/26]
View answerMy Department is still finalising its report into the allegations that a number of air operators have carried munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without the required exemption permitting them to do so. It should be noted that the examination does not relate to operations by Israeli war planes, rather it concerns civil air operators.
As I have previously indicated, the issues raised are complex and the documentation that required scrutiny is extensive.
710. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Transport if his Department is developing a common policy across public transport for pets. [1605/26]
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 conditions of carriage and associated by-laws are an operational matter for the individual transport companies themselves, and transport operator staff have the right to refuse to carry or to remove any animal that is causing or is likely to cause inconvenience to passengers due to its size or behaviour.
An overview of the guidelines and policies for individual transport operators are available to view at the following Transport for Ireland webpage: www.transportforireland.ie/accessibility/animals-on-tfi-services/
711. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Transport his plans to introduce congestion pricing in Dublin city centre. [1613/26]
View answerI have no plans to introduce congestion pricing in Dublin City. The statutory authority to introduce such a measure would ultimately rest with Dublin City Council in conjunction with the National Transport Authority.
That said, and while congestion charging has been deployed to good effect in other jurisdictions, my view is that a multi-faceted approach is needed to address congestion, having regard to both supply and demand. In relation to the ‘supply’ of sustainable alternatives such as public transport infrastructure and services, and for shorter journeys, active travel infrastructure, and shared mobility options, this Government is investing in a significant number of transformative projects over the next five years. Approximately €10.1 billion will be invested in public transport infrastructure from 2026 to 2030, with a further €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to commence works on MetroLink.
This investment package marks a major increase in public transport capital funding, more than double the level seen in the previous five years. In Dublin, significant projects will help to tackle congestion by making public transport more accessible, reliable, and affordable. These include the commencement of construction on the DART+ Programme to Maynooth and M3 Parkway; the purchase of new DART carriages; construction works for the extension of the Luas to Finglas, investment in the national rail system; and progression of BusConnects including the construction of multiple Core Bus Corridors in Dublin – in addition to construction commencing on MetroLink. Investment is also taking place on our road network, with the progression of bus priority measures on radial routes such as the M4 and M11/N11, which will improve the reliability of commuter bus services.
A core priority of the Programme for Government is encouraging a shift from private cars to public transport, as reflected in Budget 2026. This year, €940 million has been allocated to delivering public transport services – a 43% uplift compared with the allocation for 2025. This reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring that public transport services can continue to operate reliably and sustainably in the face of growing passenger demand and increased operational costs. Crucially, this allocation also allows for the continued delivery of targeted fare initiatives, including the recently introduced free travel for all children up to the age of 9, and the Young Adult Card for those aged 19-25, as part of the NTA’s National Fares Strategy. By shifting more people to public transport, we can help to mitigate the impacts of congestion, with better outcomes for those accessing or moving around Dublin City.
As well as investment in infrastructure and services, there will be a need to manage overall transport ‘demand’ and to encourage an incremental behavioural shift towards more sustainable modes, especially where feasible alternatives are already available or are being delivered as above. Within this context, I hope to publish a new strategy, Moving Together, in early 2026. Moving Together will examine ways to reinforce the benefits of the Government’s investment and embed greater efficiency into the transport system through collaboration and cultural change, thus helping to further mitigate greater congestion over the longer-term.
713. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Transport the way in which and when he anticipates the overcrowding on the 316 bus route in County Clare will be alleviated; when the new bus stop at St. Caimins will become operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1636/26]
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.
714. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the PSO provision for bus services in the greater Dublin area from 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1638/26]
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 referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
715. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the PSO provision for bus services nationally from 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1639/26]
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 referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
716. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the total fare revenue from bus services in the greater Dublin area from 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1640/26]
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. The NTA also has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
717. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the total amount invested in existing bus services versus new services in the greater Dublin area from 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1641/26]
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 allocation of funding across those services.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
718. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the estimated total fare revenue nationally if public transport fares are to increase by 10%, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/26]
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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
719. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the estimated total fare revenue nationally if public transport fares are to increase by 20%, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1643/26]
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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
720. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the estimated total fare revenue nationally if bus fares are to increase by 10%, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1644/26]
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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
