Written Answers Nos. 802-811
803. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of complaints received that both ticket vending machines at Skerries railway station have not been accepting card payments since before Christmas 2025; when the issue was first reported to Iarnród Éireann; the nature of the fault; the steps taken to resolve it to date; and when full functionality will be restored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2374/26]
View answer804. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether Iarnród Éireann has identified the reason the card payment failure at both ticket machines in Skerries railway station has persisted for several weeks; whether the issue relates to hardware, software, connectivity or payment service provider problems; and the measures in place to prevent similar prolonged outages at stations on the Northern Commuter Line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2375/26]
View answer805. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the options available to passengers at Skerries railway station during periods where ticket vending machines are not accepting card payments; the safeguards in place to ensure passengers are not penalised or overcharged due to equipment failure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2376/26]
View answer806. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether compensation or fare adjustments are available to passengers who have incurred additional costs or inconvenience as a result of prolonged ticket machine outages at Skerries railway station; whether complaints data is recorded and reviewed by Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2377/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 803 to 806, inclusive, together.
As 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 Iarnród 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.
807. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport to provide a list of the top ten capital or programme projects delivered by his Department or its agencies over the past three years which were completed on time and within the originally approved budget; the project name, location, delivery timeframe, original approved budget, final outturn cost, and delivery body, for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2438/26]
View answerMy Department does not maintain a “top 10” list as suggested by the deputy, major capital projects are managed as part of dedicated programmes of work, which in turn are delivered by relevant agencies such as TII and the NTA.
Major transport investment on individual projects is monitored and best reviewed through the official Project 2040 tracker, MyProjectIreland, which includes information on projects within the National Development Plan and can provide data by region, investment type and status. My Department provides regular updates to the Project 2040 programme office to ensure accurate information is available on transport projects. The tracker can be viewed at:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/myprojectireland-interactive-map-and-tracker/
808. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport to detail the annual spend on external consultants by his Department and its agencies in each of the past three years; the number of consultancy contracts, the largest individual consultancy engagements by value, and whether internal capacity-building or cost-benefit assessments were undertaken prior to engaging external consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2456/26]
View answerMy Department regularly reviews its resourcing requirements and will, where appropriate, build additional capacity into its structure, such as expanding its strategic research capabilities and its ICT project management through dedicated divisions and appointing specialist staff, to ensure that it maintains and develops appropriate in-house expertise.
Department external consultancy information for 2023:
• Spend: €4,979,189.82
• Contracts: 52
• Largest individual contract: Development of an IT Operating Model and Governance Model - €1,248,280.97
Department external consultancy information for 2024
• Spend: €2,405,755
• Contracts: 40
• Largest individual contract: Project management support (Via TII Task Order) - €533,198.85
Department external consultancy information for 2025
• Spend: €1,018,610
• Contract: 25
• Largest individual contract: Provision of Services to revise the Transport Climate Change Adaptation Plan - €285,000 (Over 2 years, 2024/25 and paid in 2025)
The above are, in some cases, indicative costs as each contract is subject to different terms depending on supplier, their location and other payment adjustments, such as Professional Services Withholding Tax and variable application of VAT and other taxes by both exclusion and using varied rates.
A small number of consultancies where the Department was reimbursed its costs are not included in the value or contract count.
With regard to expenditure on external consultants by agencies, I have referred your question to the agencies under the Department's aegis to answer on behalf of their organisations. If you do not receive a reply within 10 working days, please contact my private office.
809. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport to provide a list, for each of the past three years of the top ten projects per annum delivered by his Department or its agencies which were completed late and over the originally approved budget; the project name, location, original approved completion date, actual completion date, original approved budget, final outturn cost, cost overrun expressed in euro and percentage terms, and the delivery body for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2474/26]
View answerMy Department does not maintain a “top 10” list as suggested by the deputy, major capital projects are managed as part of dedicated programmes of work, which in turn are delivered by relevant agencies such as TII and the NTA.
Major transport investment on individual projects is monitored and best reviewed through the official Project 2040 tracker, MyProjectIreland, which includes information on projects within the National Development Plan and can provide data by region, investment type and status. My Department provides regular updates to the Project 2040 programme office to ensure accurate information is available on transport projects. The tracker can be found at:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/myprojectireland-interactive-map-and-tracker/
810. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the number of electrified buses Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann have in service respectively; the number not in service; the number of garages Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann operate; the number of these garages that have capacity to charge electric buses; the number of charging points Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann have in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2514/26]
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 are operational matters for Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to both companies for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
811. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department is measuring the emissions impact of the bypass that is being built by the State for an event (details supplied); the measures being put in place to provide viable public transport options to the venue for an event (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2908/26]
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 planning, design and construction 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 regarding the emissions impact of the Adare Bypass.
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.
As 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 question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
