Dublin Bus

Thursday, 26 February 2026

Questions (109)

Paul Murphy

Question:

109. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the number of electric buses owned by Dublin Bus that are not in current use; the reasons for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15547/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Transport

Like the Deputy, I am keen to see more electric buses on our roads, as part of the modernisation of our public transport fleet.

The Government is committed to the decarbonisation of the public transport sector in line with the Climate Action Plan. The National Transport Authority, or NTA, is making significant efforts in electric buses with the aim of the public service fleet in the Dublin metropolitan area consisting solely of zero-emission buses by 2035.

I wish to clarify that all electric buses are procured and owned by the NTA, not by public transport operators.

Electric buses are currently in operation in the urban public transport fleets in Dublin, Limerick and Athlone. Dublin Bus has absorbed a total of 169 electric buses into its fleet. Of these, 134 are currently in passenger service, including 119 double deck buses. More electric buses will be acquired in the coming months.

There have been delays to the delivery of electric charging infrastructure to bus depots around Dublin, which has in turn prevented the ability of operators to absorb electric buses into their fleet. Currently, 63 electric buses remain in storage. However, I am pleased to announce that because of the recent progress made in installing electric charging guns in depots, all of these buses will exit storage in the coming months.

Indeed, just this month the first electric buses began to operate from the Harristown bus depot, using new charging infrastructure. This facilitated the introduction of ten new double deck electric buses into passenger service.

Significant efforts are underway by the NTA and transport operators to move electric buses into passenger service, and I look forward to the continued rollout of electric buses across Dublin and our other urban centres.