Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
111. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the engagement his Department has had with the National Transport Authority and public transport providers in relation to the reliability and frequency of public transport [2865/26]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the NTA is a non-commercial State body operating under the aegis of my Department. As with other State bodies under my Department I engage as appropriate with the Chair and the executive in relation to relevant issues, including those raised by the Deputy.
My officials have a structured engagement process with the NTA, including monthly meetings with senior management, quarterly governance meetings, and receive regular updates on policy and programme delivery.
I can assure the Deputy that the performance of all public transport operators is closely monitored by the NTA under their contractual arrangements. These contracts allow for not just the monitoring of performance and the publication of annual performance reports, but importantly, allow for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standard. For example, if a bus service doesn’t operate due to circumstances within the operator’s control, a deduction is applied equivalent to the cost of the cancelled service.
On reliability and frequency, the NTA acknowledge there have been challenges - often due to traffic congestion, driver or mechanic shortages, or unforeseen incidents. My Department is working closely with the NTA to try to address these issues through initiatives such as the previously mentioned Public Transport Workforce Taskforce which aims to address recruitment challenges for drivers and mechanics; and planned improvements to the vehicle location system under Next Generation AVL, which will enhance the accuracy of real-time passenger information.
Phase 7 of BusConnects is a good example of responsiveness, with recent route alignment changes made following feedback from passengers and local representatives. As mentioned previously, BusConnects is delivering results - the latest progress report, covering Phases 5a, 5b, and 6a, shows that 8 out of 10 users are satisfied with the service, and 45% believe their bus service has improved.
We remain fully committed to building on these positive changes and delivering a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, and affordable for everyone.
