Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
138. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will allocate additional capital and supplementary current funding for investment in public transport infrastructure and for new services this year in view of worsening traffic congestion and delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2784/26]
View answerMy officials and I are aware of recent experience of congestion in our cities and of the impact that this has on daily life. The Department has published several reports in recent years on the Economic Cost of Congestion in the Greater Dublin Area and in the regional cities. These reports examine the key factors driving congestion and provide projections of how annual economic costs are likely to evolve up to 2040.
In relation to the ‘supply’ of sustainable public transport infrastructure and services, active travel infrastructure, and shared mobility options, all of which help to tackle congestion, this Government is investing in a significant number of transformative projects over the next five years. The Government’s National Development Plan (NDP) Sectoral Implementation Plan for Transport, published in November, allocates approximately €10.1 billion in public transport infrastructure investment from 2026 to 2030, with a further €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund specifically to start construction on MetroLink. This circa €12.1 billion investment package to 2030 marks a major increase in public transport capital funding, more than double the level seen in the previous five years, demonstrating the Government’s strong commitment to public transport.
For this year, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation has published in Revised Estimates for Public Services (or REV) 2026. It allocates circa €1.4 billion in capital funding and circa €940 million in current funding to public transport.
This year's PSO funding allocation represents a significant 43% uplift in the allocation from 2025, which 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 will also allow 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. These measures help ensure effective and high-quality public transport service provision.
The Department of Transport will continue to explore opportunities for additional funding, including through funding streams such as the European Union Connect Europe Facility (CEF), to compliment national Exchequer funding, which may allow some projects to proceed to construction earlier than currently anticipated.
In addition, my Department will carefully monitor spending on all areas throughout the year. Should it appear likely that an underspend may arise on another subhead, Government Accounting allows for the process of virement, or the use of savings on one or more subheads to meet excess expenditure on another subhead or subheads in the same Vote. Virement is subject to the specific authority of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the process is set out in Public Financial Procedures section C2.5 to C2.12.
