Written Answers Nos. 288-307
288. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport if his Department is considering proposals to prevent the misuse of disabled parking spaces on private premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5563/26]
View answerI wish to advise that, as Minister for Transport, my remit is limited to the provision of disabled parking in public places only through the Disabled Parking Scheme, encompassing such aspects as eligibility for a disabled parking permit and the nomination of specific bodies responsible for issuing permits.
Disabled parking regulations, as with most areas of road traffic legislation, can only be enforced for public roads and car parks. The enforcement of disabled bay use in private car parks, such as those attached to shopping centres and other commercial premises, is the responsibility of the car park's owner. Cars parked illegally in these bays may be clamped and a fee for release may be charged by the operator.
289. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport whether the NTA has carried out an assessment of unmet public transport needs in Kildare north; the way in which these findings informed route selection under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5565/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally including the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. In light of the NTA responsibilities 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.
290. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the current status of all Connecting Ireland proposals for Kildare north, including routes in planning and those with approved funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5566/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, including allocating funding to Transport Coordination Units. In light of the NTA responsibilities 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.
291. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport whether additional routes or service enhancements are planned under Connecting Ireland to improve connectivity between Kilcock, Maynooth, Leixlip, and key employment and education centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5567/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, including allocating funding to Transport Coordination Units. In light of the NTA responsibilities 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.
292. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport to detail the NTA’s engagement with local representatives and community groups in Kildare north in identifying priority routes for the Connecting Ireland plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5568/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally including the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. In this instance, the NTA can detail their engagement with the relevant local community and representative groups as referenced in the question. 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.
293. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the funding allocated for Connecting Ireland route improvements in Kildare north for 2025; the way this compares with previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5569/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, including the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan and allocating funding to Transport Coordination Units. In light of the NTA responsibilities 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.
294. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport to outline any operational, staffing or funding challenges that may affect the rollout of Connecting Ireland routes in Kildare north; the measures being taken to address them;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5570/26]
View answerAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally, including allocating funding to Transport Coordination Units and their corporate functions. In light of the NTA responsibilities 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.
295. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport if actions can be taken to increase public transport accessibility to a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5577/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.
Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 and the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009, the Oireachtas assigned statutory responsibility to the National Transport Authority (NTA) for promoting the development of an integrated, accessible public transport network and public transport infrastructure. The NTA in turn works with the relevant public transport operators, for example Dublin Bus, who have responsibility for day-to-day operational issues, to progressively make public transport accessible.
In light of the NTA's over-arching statutory responsibilities for accessible public transport, including the development of services and implementation of transport accessibility improvements, 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.
296. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport if a licence will be issued to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5589/26]
View answerAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that all enquiries relating to driver licensing are handled by the National Driver Licence Service, the provision of which I have delegated under national legislation to the Road Safety Authority. Neither I nor the Department have any role in driving licence applications.
I have referred this matter to the Authority for direct reply. Please contact my office if a reply has not been received from the RSA in the next ten days
297. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport to provide a breakdown of expenditure by his Department and bodies, agencies or organisations under his remit on paid verification services on a platform (details supplied) or any other verified account products, for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of verified accounts held under each category; the annual cost per account; the total annual cost incurred; the procurement basis under which these services were purchased, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5626/26]
View answerThe Department of Transport has not paid for any verification services for the platform in question. No costs were incurred for the services specified in 2023, 2024, 2025 or 2026 to date.
298. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport further to recent Cabinet approval to establish a new statutory body to deliver the MetroLink project in addition to the existing roles of Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority; the rationale for establishing a separate delivery agency rather than continuing delivery within existing bodies with established governance, oversight and public engagement structures; the way in which the creation of an additional agency will impact residents and communities in Dublin central who are directly affected by the project and who have already engaged extensively with TII and the NTA; the measures that will be put in place to ensure continuity of community engagement, avoid duplication of functions, prevent disruption arising from overlapping authority, and provide a clear single point of accountability for affected residents and businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5632/26]
View answer299. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport the details of the projected operational lifespan of the proposed new statutory MetroLink delivery body; the estimated establishment and ongoing costs; the staffing, legal and administrative expenditure; whether it is intended that the body will be wound down following completion of the MetroLink project; whether any impact, value-for-money or efficiency assessment has been conducted on the creation of an additional delivery agency; the expected implications for project timelines, delivery efficiency and accountability mechanisms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5633/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 299 together.
In November of last year, the Government approved my policy proposal to establish a dedicated MetroLink delivery body and the preparation of legislation to give affect to this proposal. MetroLink is recognised as the largest public transport infrastructure project in the history of the State and the policy proposal approved was the culmination of research and analysis undertaken by my Department.
An interdepartmental working group, comprising officials from my Department, the NTA and TII has been established to review the practical and legislative issues as well as the necessary governance requirements to be addressed in establishing the dedicated delivery body. Work is underway and I expect to bring a General Scheme to Government with these developed proposals by April of this year for a further Government Decision to proceed with the legislative process through the houses of the Oireachtas. Detailed issues such as those raised by the Deputy can be considered during the legislative process.
300. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that, following the withdrawal of the number 13 bus service along Griffith Avenue, passenger usage at bus stops on the avenue has reportedly declined by more than 50%; whether he acknowledges the impact this has had on older residents and those with limited mobility who must now travel over 500 metres to access a spine route; whether he will engage with the National Transport Authority regarding the request from an organisation (details supplied) to re-route one number 19 service per hour via Griffith Avenue to facilitate access to Drumcondra village, the Mater Hospital and the city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5634/26]
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.
I can assure you that improving the accessibility, reliability, and affordability of public transport, while ensuring the system remains well-funded and responsive to passenger needs, is a core priority under the Programme for Government. In this regard my Department is working closely with the NTA to try to address frequency and reliability issues in order to deliver a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, and affordable for everyone.
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.
301. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the Mallow relief road project, including its position within his Department’s overall national roads programme; and to confirm whether the project remains an active priority of his Department for the lifetime of the current National Development Plan. [5721/26]
View answer302. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the level of funding allocated to the Mallow relief road to date; to specify the programme phase in which the project currently sits; and to confirm when the next funding decision relevant to the project is scheduled to be made by his Department. [5722/26]
View answer303. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport to detail the progress achieved to date on the Mallow relief road, including planning, design, appraisal, and statutory processes; and to identify the specific steps remaining before the project can proceed to construction. [5723/26]
View answer304. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport to confirm when the Mallow relief road project was last formally reviewed by his Department; whether it has been discussed at ministerial level within the past 12 months, and when the next departmental or ministerial review of the project is scheduled. [5724/26]
View answer305. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport to provide an indicative timeline for the Mallow relief road from the current stage through to construction, including when enabling works and main construction are expected to commence; and when his Department expects to see works physically begin on site. [5725/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 301, 302, 303, 304 and 305 together.
As 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, construction and design 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 in relation to the Mallow Relief Road.
I can confirm that the N72 Mallow Relief Road is included in the NDP and the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport. The project was allocated €700,000 in 2025. Allocations for 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks.
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.
306. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport for a detailed update on the work of the ORE ports facilitation division within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5735/26]
View answerMy Department established the Offshore Renewable Energy Ports Facilitation Division in 2024 to assist the ports in their plans to build enabling infrastructure to service the Offshore Renewable Energy, (ORE), industry.
As part of this effort, the division established and now chairs an ORE Ports Co-Ordination Group to facilitate consistent engagement with key stakeholders on ports’ progress with their ORE enabling projects. The group meets on a quarterly basis and not only allows for ports to engage directly with the Department of Transport but other key government departments relevant to the delivery of ORE.
The division also leads on Workstream 6 of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT) and provides regular updates to the cross-governmental forum on the progress of the ports in scaling up to facilitate the ORE industry. The Division is also engaged with the Department of the Taoiseach-led ORE Clearing House and works to address any issues raised regarding the Commercial State ports and their role in ORE.
The European Investment Bank, (EIB), as part of an advisory agreement signed by the last government, is currently providing advisory services to several Irish ports on behalf of the Department of Transport. The EIB is conducting several analyses on ORE port capacity and port financing in Ireland.
The ORE Ports Facilitation Division has been actively engaged with the EIB and their consultants on the delivery of this assignment. The results of the study are expected to contribute to a greater understanding of potential financing options for ports. These reports, along with the bilateral advisory services, will assist the development of business cases for the ports’ ORE infrastructure plans.
Additionally, Division is engaging with various financial stakeholders with a view to maximising all financial opportunities for ports, including the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the European Investment Bank (EIB).
My department will continue to encourage and assist applicable ports with applications for funding under the EU's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) fund. Under the last CEF Funding Call for infrastructure in 2023, the ORE Ports Facilitation division provided critical feedback to ports who wished to make an application for funding. Ultimately, both the Port of Cork and Dublin Port were successful for funding, with the Port of Cork awarded €38.42 million for their ORE-based development. This development at Ringaskiddy is currently under construction and expected to complete this year, well in advance of demand by Phase 1 offshore wind developers
The ORE Ports Facilitation Division has also led the coordination of technical guidance documents for the ORE industry. In June 2025, my Department published the Maritime Navigation Safety Guidance for Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREI) and the Guidance for Search & Rescue and Emergency Response for OREI. This provides crucial guidance to ORE developers as they plan their offshore wind developments in Irish waters.
Furthermore, the division has engaged in extensive fact-finding missions to Europe and UK, engaging with government and industry officials, and visiting ports actively engaged in delivery of offshore renewables in Europe and the UK. Irish Commercial state ports have accompanied the division on many of these missions to gather invaluable information on the development of suitable ORE port infrastructure for Ireland.
307. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport for a detailed list of the meetings and external stakeholders engaged with as part of the ongoing work of the ORE ports facilitation division within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5736/26]
View answerAs part my department’s work remit, the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Ports Facilitation Division is actively engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders from within the offshore industry, wider maritime industry, including: the UK and EU Member States, financial stakeholders and port companies with experience in facilitating ORE.
The following list details each external stakeholder by category. This list is not exhaustive and my department’s officials have many ad-hoc engagements at events such as the annual Wind Energy Ireland and Wind Europe conferences.
Engagement with external stakeholders as part of the consultation on Technical Guidance documents:
• Wind Energy Ireland
• Bord Iascaigh Mhara
• Irish Lights
• EirGrid
• Inland Fisheries Ireland
• Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
• Sea Fisheries Protection Authority
• Marine Renewables Industry Association
• National Offshore Wind Energy Association
• Renewable Energy Ireland
• Clogherhead Fisherman’s Organisation
• IFA Aquaculture
• Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association
• Irish Fish Producers Association
• Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation
• Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation
• Irish Seafood Producers Group
• Irish South & East Fish Producers Organisation
• Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation
• National Inshore Fisheries Association
• National Inshore Fisheries Forums
• Sailing Ireland
• Royal National Lifeguard Institute
• Irish Aviation Authority
• Maritime Area Regulatory Authority
• An Bord Pleanála / An Comisuin Pleanála
• Anatec Consultants
• Nash Maritime
• Harbourmaster Group
• Irish Chamber of Shipping
• Seafood ORE Working Group
• An Garda Siochána
• County & City Managers Association
• Commission for Regulation of Utilities
• National Director for Fire & Emergency Management
Engagement with Government Departments:
• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
• Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment
• Department of Defence
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
• Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
• Department of the Taoiseach
• Houses of the Oireachtas Service
Engagement with Irish ports (including public and privately-owned ports and Fishery Harbour Centres):
• Port of Cork Company
• Port of Waterford Company
• Shannon Foynes Port Company
• Dublin Port Company
• Rosslare Europort (Iarnród Éireann)
• Moneypoint (ESB)
• Port of Galway
• Drogheda Port Company
• Arklow Port
• Killybegs
• Cork Dockyard
• Greenore Port
• Leahill Port
Engagement with Northern Irish authorities and ports:
• Belfast Harbour Commission
• Northern Irish Executive
• Department for Infrastructure
• Department for Economy
• Belfast City Council
Engagement with Scottish authorities and ports:
• Port of Nigg
• Ardersier Port
• Sumitomo Electric
• Port of Aberdeen
• Forth Ports
• Peel Ports
• Kishorn Port
• Scottish Government
• Department for Transport
• Port of Cromarthy Firth
• Scottish Renewables
• Offshore Wind Scotland
Engagement with English authorities and ports:
• Port of Able Seaton
• Grimsby Port
• Port of Hull
• The ORE Catapult
• Department for Infrastructure
Engagement with Welsh authorities and ports:
• Associated British Ports (Port Talbot)
• Port of Mostyn
Engagement with German authorities and ports:
• Cuxhaven Port
• Ministry of Lower Saxony
• The German Government
Engagement with French authorities and ports:
• France Énergies Marines
• BrestPort
• Région Bretagne
• Brittany Development and Innovation
• Saint Nazaire Port
• Banque des Territoires.
• Port La-Nouvelle
Engagement with Italian ports:
• Palermo Port
Engagement with Spanish ports:
• Port of Bilbao
• The Port of Ferrol
Engagement with Danish authorities and ports:
• Port of Esbjerg
• Port of Copenhagen
• Danish Government
• Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority
Engagement with Dutch ports:
• Port of Eemshaven
Engagement with Energy Developers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs):
• Flotation Energy
• ESB
• Statkraft
• RWE
• SSE
• Ocean Winds
• Corio Generation
• Siemens Energy
• Bord na Móna
• Orsted
• Vestas
• General Electric (GE)
General Industry Engagement:
• Irish Maritime Development Office
• Gavin Doherty Geosolutions
• Price Waterhouse Cooper
• KPMG
• Ernst and Young
Engagement with Financial Stakeholders:
• Ireland Strategic Investment Fund
• Strategic Banking Corporation Ireland
• NewERA
• Allied Irish Banks
• European Investment Bank
• European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
• European Commission - Directorate General for Mobility and Transport
