Written Answers Nos. 186-208
187. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Transport for an update on a single digital application and payment point for road hauliers for use when applying for abnormal load permits, which is currently being considered by the Abnormal Load Working Group; the timeline for its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15496/26]
View answerThe transport of Abnormal Loads is an area of increasing complexity as the size and weight of loads being carried on our roads increases due to the need to meet housing demand, infrastructure development and increasing energy requirements.
In accordance with the provisions of S.I. No. 5/2003 - Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003, each individual Local Authority (LA) has responsibility for the issuing of Abnormal Load Permits in their administrative area. S.I. No. 5/2003 sets the maximum authorised weights and dimensions for mechanically propelled vehicles and trailers on public roads, anything above these weights and dimensions requires an Abnormal Load Permit.
At present, Abnormal Load Permit applications and payments are made separately to each Local Authority along a proposed Abnormal Load route. An Abnormal Load Working Group has been established with the primary objective to move the current individual application processes of each Local Authority to a single digital application and payment point for Road Hauliers. Membership of this group includes representatives from the Local Authority Sector, Department of Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, An Garda Síochána, and the Road Management Office.
The single application and payment point is currently being developed through the MyCoCo digital solution platform which is a collaboration between Local Authorities and supported by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). This initiative arose from the national “Connecting Government 2030” program, which aims for 90 per cent of public services to be delivered online by 2030, and has been noted as a building block of reform in the “Better Public Services - Public Service Transformation 2030 Strategy”.
The Working Group is currently developing the website and payment platform based on data collected from Local Authorities regarding their existing processes and fee structures. The platform is currently going through desktop trials and if successful the group will then make recommendations for implementation to the City and County Managers Association (CCMA) through the relevant LGMA Committee.
It is envisaged that once a working digital platform for the single application and payment system has been developed that wider engagement in the sector will be undertaken.
189. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of ongoing capacity constraints and overcrowding on the NX bus service between Navan and Dublin, despite the current 20 minute frequency and the introduction of additional peak services; whether he has engaged with the NTA and Bus Éireann with regard to these issues; and if he will consider the introduction of additional NX services originating in Navan town and Johnstown to help alleviate overcrowding and meet growing demand. [15478/26]
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 is an operational matter for Bus 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.
190. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the BusConnects schemes in Galway City; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15537/26]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across five cities, including Galway. BusConnects is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the State and is managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
The redesign of the bus network is one of the key elements of BusConnects Galway, which aims to transform the city’s bus system, making public transport more useful to more people.
In 2023, the NTA carried out an extensive review of the bus network in Galway, in collaboration with Galway City Council, Galway County Council, local bus operators, and with the specialised expertise of transport designers Jarrett Walker and Associates. In April 2023, a draft new network was published, and the feedback and submissions received informed the final new bus network published in December that year.
The new bus network will enable more people to avail of public transport, resulting in increased access to a greater number of schools and workplaces across Galway City, Bearna, and Oranmore. Once this network is implemented, circa 67% of residents will live within 400 metres of a high frequency bus route (running every 15 minutes or better).
The NTA plans to commence the implementation of the new Galway bus network in the coming years, subject to funding and operational readiness. As part of BusConnects, the NTA is also advancing work on the Sustainable Transport Corridor, the Cross-City Link, which will improve travel times on the bus network and improve connections for pedestrians and cyclists.
An Coimisiún Pleanála granted planning permission to Galway City Council for a second Sustainable Transport Corridor, the Dublin Road, scheme in 2025. The Dublin Road scheme, when constructed, will provide 3.9km of bus priority and active travel infrastructure, alongside upgraded pedestrian infrastructure.
Other parts of the BusConnects programme, such as simpler fares, will be delivered with the new bus network.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply with 10 days.
191. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the number of times a plane (details supplied) landed in Ireland; and if the State has a record of passenger manifests from these arrivals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15201/26]
View answerMy officials have reviewed the electronic records held by my Department, in relation to flight authorisations, and have not found any record of that aircraft ever having received an authorisation.
The Convention on International Civil Aviation signed at Chicago on 7 December 1944, and its associated annexes, established the framework for the operation of international civil aviation. Both Ireland and the United States are contracting states to this Convention.
Article 5 of this Convention provides that all aircraft of the other contracting states, while not engaged in scheduled international air services, shall have the right to overfly and to make stops for non-traffic purposes without the necessity of obtaining prior permission.
This provision is provided for in Irish law in Article 3 of the Air Services Authorisation Order 1993.
Stops at Irish airports, by private aircraft, which are technical stops for non-traffic purposes (i.e. not picking up or setting down passengers), do not require prior authorisation from my department. Such technical stops at airports are operational matters for the airports in question or the ground handlers managing the technical stop.
The regulations around the submission of passenger data relate only to licensed air transport operators and such matters are under the remit of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
192. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport the status of the work underway to develop the new needs-based, grant-aided vehicle adaptation scheme intended to replace the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme; if the eligibility criteria currently linked to the primary medical certificate are being reviewed as part of this process, particularly for individuals with significant disabilities such as loss of sight or hearing who are excluded under the existing mobility-based tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15533/26]
View answerMy Department has been tasked with developing a new Vehicle Adaptation Scheme (VAS) as one specific personal transport response, in the context of broader Government consideration of integrated transport and mobility supports for those with a disability. The VAS is not intended to replace the current Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme.
The VAS will be a reimbursement scheme, assisting with the additional cost of adapting a vehicle. The intention is that scheme will be open to drivers and passengers who have a clinically assessed need for vehicle adaptations to enable them to enter, exit a vehicle or operate a vehicle. Eligibility will be based on a clinical assessment and a primary medical certificate will not be required for the VAS.
Department of Transport officials are consulting with key stakeholders to develop the principles and parameters of the new scheme. As primary legislation may be required to underpin the scheme, it is not possible to provide a definitive timeline for its introduction.
194. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the progress to date in relation to the N/M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15462/26]
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 on the status of this project.
The allocations for National Roads for 2026 were announced on 17 February. I can confirm that €3.5 million has been allocated to the N/M20 Limerick to Cork project for 2026.
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
195. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport when he will review the IAA’s interpretation of regulations regarding fatigue and factoring for ICG SAR aircrew, and urgently review the system of recording SAR crew working hours, to ensure full compliance with European law. [15556/26]
View answerThe Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is Ireland’s independent civil aviation regulator. It exercises safety oversight of the aviation Search and Rescue (SAR) operator through its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and a National SAR Approval. The SAR operator must comply with the National SAR Rules which contain requirements for fatigue management, including flight time limitations and rest requirements that are in line with international aviation safety law. The most recent set of National SAR Rules were issued by the IAA in June 2022.
Working time and employment matters are matters between the operator and its employees.
196. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport if he has considered the experience of local residents in relation to lifting the passenger cap at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15472/26]
View answerIreland’s National Aviation Policy supports the sustainable development of Dublin Airport, and the Programme for Government includes a clear commitment to work with stakeholders to achieve the objective of lifting the passenger cap at Dublin Airport as soon as possible.
In line with that commitment, on 10 February I secured Government approval for the legislative approach to be taken to address the Dublin Airport passenger cap planning condition and to proceed to the formal drafting of a Bill. The proposed legislative approach, will allow me, as the Minister for Transport, to make an order amend or revoke the 32 million passenger cap planning condition
However, I fully recognise that it is important, that in ensuring the sustainable development of Dublin Airport, to balance the legitimate views of stakeholders who are concerned about the environmental and aircraft noise impacts at the airport, with the objectives of the National Aviation Policy, and the needs of business and tourism.
Therefore, as set out in the General Scheme, before making an order to amend or revoke the passenger cap, I will engage with An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) so it can carry out screening for the making of an order under the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, the EU Habitats Directive and the EU Water Framework Directive. Where these assessments are screened in, the appropriate reports and statements will be prepared and submitted to ACP. In line with the requirements of the EU Directives, ACP will carry out public consultations as part of any assessment it undertakes and will make a determination as to the impacts, if any, that the making of an order will have on the environment. I will take the outcome of those assessments into account when making an order.
Where an order is made under the legislation, I will notify Fingal County Council in its role as the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA), who will take the making of an order into account when carrying out its functions under section 9 of the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019. It is also worth noting that ANCA undertakes annual assessments of noise management measures and conducts public consultations when new or amended measures are required. ANCA is currently assessing the noise situation at Dublin Airport, including the impact of proposed planning applications and future capacity increases, and will carry out a public consultation as part of that process.
I also note that the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Transport has commenced the process for pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme for the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill and I would encourage all interested parties to make submissions to the Committee in relation to the proposed legislative approach.
197. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Transport the plans to improve facilities such as rain shelters, disability access, and toilets in Ballybrophy and Portarlington train stations County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15531/26]
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 Irish Rail, who have responsibility for day-to-day operational issues, to progressively make public transport accessible.
Issues relating to the accessibility of train stations, including at Ballybrophy and Portarlington, are a matter for Irish Rail in the first instance. I have referred your question to the company for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
198. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the arrival of the battery electric DART to Wicklow Town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15539/26]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including, in consultation with Iarnród Éireann, the DART+ programme.
The NDP Transport Sectoral Investment Plan provides funding to enable the extension of the DART to Wicklow around 2029, using new battery-electric DART trains. This represents a significant acceleration compared to the plans set out in the Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022-2042, which would have seen the DART extension to Wicklow progressed no earlier than 2037.
Three train fleet orders have been placed as part of the DART+ Programme, comprising both battery-electric and electric carriages, bringing the total number of new DART carriages ordered to 285, made up of 57 five-carriage trains.
The first order for the purchase of 95 additional DART carriages (65 battery-electric and 30 electric) have started arriving in Ireland and are currently undergoing certification and safety testing. It is intended that the new battery-electric sets will be initially deployed on the Northern Commuter Line serving Dublin to/from Drogheda from 2027.
It is planned to deploy at least some of the second order of 90 battery-electric DART carriages to allow commencement of the Wicklow DART extension around 2029. This will provide for a major boost in train service frequency between Wicklow and Dublin.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
199. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the Northern Ring Road and his plans to reduce congestion in Cork city. [14271/26]
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 on the status of this project.
Noting the above position, I have referred the question to TII for a direct reply updating you as to the latest status of the Cork City Northern Transport Project (formally the Cork Northern Ring Road), and any developments in relation to the upgraded Dunkettle Interchange (which opened in February 2024). Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
BusConnects and Cork Area Commuter Rail would also reduce congestion in Cork city.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme is a key project in the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy 2040. The Programme is being delivered on a phased basis and will involves a transformative investment, enhancing the heavy rail network across the region, connecting Mallow, Cork, Cobh and Midleton with increased train capacity. The Programme is managed by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
Phase 1 of the Programme consists of a signalling upgrade, construction of a through-platform at Kent Station, which opened in April 2025, and double-tracking from Glounthaune to Midleton.
Phase 2 of the programme plans for the electrification of the Cork commuter rail network and the delivery of new stations along the network. Last summer Iarnród Éireann held a non-statutory public consultation in relation to Phase 2, with a second round of consultation planned for April 2026.
Phase 2 will be progressed following the completion of Phase 1. Funding provided in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, which was published by my Department in November, will see Iarnród Éireann complete Phase 1 complete this year, and commence Phase 2 thereafter, starting with new stations at Blackpool and Dunkettle and initial electrification works and depot construction.
Iarnród Éireann expects to lodge planning applications to Cork City Council later this year for the delivery of Blackpool and Dunkettle stations.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days
BusConnects is the National Transport Authority's (NTA) program to greatly improve bus services in all our cities. It is a key part of the Government's policies to improve public transport and address climate change in five cities, including Cork.
There are 11 Sustainable Transport Corridors, grouped into three schemes. Together, these proposed schemes will include approximately 90km of bus lane and bus priority measures to improve bus system efficiency, and 95km if cycle facilities (one direction), contributing to a significant expansion of Cork’s cycling network.
Following public consultation, the new BusConnects Cork network was published in June 2022, and it aims to provide an increase of over 50% in bus services across the city.
Planning for the implementation of the new bus network has commenced and it is expected that the new network will be implemented on a phased basis in the coming years. Implementation will be subject to funding and resources available.
200. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport whether Bus Éireann in Cork currently have a full cohort of drivers. [14270/26]
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 is an operational matter for Bus 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.
201. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Transport his views on Competition and Consumer Protection Commission findings that consumers are suffering due to a failure to facilitate innovations in the taxi industry; the regulatory barriers he believes should be considered in this regard; if he plans to address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15485/26]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.
The focus of Ireland’s regulatory regime for taxis and hackneys is on consumer protection and personal safety. Under legislation, the regulation of the SPSV sector is carried out by the National Transport Authority, which is the licensing authority for vehicles and dispatch operators. An Garda Síochána is the licensing authority for taxi and hackney drivers.
A fundamental tenet of Ireland’s SPSV regulatory regime is that only SPSV licensed drivers and vehicles are used for the carriage of passengers for reward, to protect the consumer and help ensure public safety. Ridesharing is not available in Ireland via online platform or otherwise. Online services and app companies, such as Uber and FreeNow by Lyft are restricted to using licensed SPSV drivers to provide journeys to customers. The ridesharing transport model, operating outside Ireland, is not a model that would comply with Irish law. No special regulations have been developed to govern the carriage of passengers by passenger cars, which are not SPSVs. Therefore, the model where anyone with a private car and an App can provide taxi services, does not exist here. It is not government policy and there is no intention to introduce it.
The protection of the consumer and personal safety are vital objectives and must continue to be central to how the SPSV industry is regulated and operated.
The structure of the taxi and hackney market has undoubtedly changed since liberalisation of the market took place, and more notably in recent years, in relation to the role of dispatch operators. I have requested that the NTA conducts a regulatory assessment of dispatch operator licensing in Ireland in the context of ensuring that the regulatory framework for this element of the overall sector is sufficiently up to date and robust to respond to developments since the enactment of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
The NTA has informed me that they are developing a Call for Inputs on the dispatch operator licensing framework as a priority, and expects to publish the Call in late February/early March and intend to seek views from stakeholders as part of this process. Details of public consultations on SPSV matters can be found on the SPSV Latest News page on the NTA’s website and all stakeholders are invited to make a submission at the relevant time. A sustainable taxi sector is an important element of our transport system, and I encourage all stakeholders to take the opportunity to feed into this important piece of work, as input from stakeholders will inform the NTA's process and decision-making in revising the current dispatch operator framework.
202. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Transport if he will commit to designating the R312 in Mayo as a strategic regional road; if he will provide the funding required to upgrade the route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15651/26]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources supplemented by State road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the local authority.
The Department has provided funding to Mayo County Council for the road re-alignment and bridge replacement scheme at Glenisland on the R312 which was completed at the end of 2021.
Mayo County Council received an allocation of €30,000 this year under the Specific Improvement Grant Programme to progress the planning and design of the second phase of proposed works at Glenisland on the R312.
Additionally, the Council received €350,000 this year under the Strategic Rehabilitation Regional Roads Grant for the R312. This grant seeks to target the protection and rehabilitation of highly trafficked wide former national roads and similar strategic regional roads which are in poor condition but not suitable to the regular restoration programme.
Under the Roads Act 1993, S10(1) it is a function of the Minister for Transport to order the classification of national and regional roads, whereas it is a function of the local authority, to declare and classify local roads. There is no statutory road classification termed ‘Strategic Regional Road’ under the Roads Act 1993.
203. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Transport his plans to ensure the NTA and service providers such as Dublin Bus are adequately resourced to ensure punctuality of routes across Dublin 9 and 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15296/26]
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 continue to engage with the NTA on an ongoing basis in relation to maintaining high operational standards on all forms of public transport.
In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
204. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Transport the steps being undertaken to introduce an hourly train service between Waterford and Dublin, in line with the Strategic Rail Review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15494/26]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Department of Transport, together with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, published the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy in December 2025. This Strategy outlines how to best sequence and optimise the recommendations of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, which was published in July 2024.
The Rail Strategy specifies short-term rail infrastructure investments, referred to as Early Interventions, to be delivered in the coming years, including new track passing loops and platforms to boost the rail network’s resilience and capacity, which are funded to be fully delivered by 2030 under the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport, published by the Department of Transport in November last year. This includes a new platform at Limerick Junction, and a new passing loop east of Clonmel, which will support journeys between Waterford and Limerick.
The Rail Strategy also identifies Major Projects, including capacity/frequency enhancements and electrification of the Dublin to Waterford rail line, to be progressed.
Waterford will also benefit from a new train station, which is currently under construction in the city, and is scheduled to open in 2027, as part of the ambitious North Quays development.
In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the company for a more detailed reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
205. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Transport to comment on the CCPC’s recommendation for the removal of barriers to companies (details supplied) fully entering the Irish taxi market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15287/26]
View answerThe regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector.
The focus of Ireland’s regulatory regime for taxis and hackneys is on consumer protection and personal safety and this must continue to be central to how the SPSV industry is regulated and operated. A fundamental tenet of the regulatory regime is that only licensed taxi and hackney drivers, and licensed taxi and hackney vehicles, are used for the carriage of passengers for reward, to protect the consumer and help ensure public safety. The NTA is the licensing authority for vehicles and dispatch operators. An Garda Síochána is the licensing authority for taxi and hackney drivers.
Ridesharing is not available in Ireland via online platform or otherwise. Online services and app companies, such as Uber, are restricted to using licensed SPSV drivers to provide journeys to customers. The ridesharing transport model, operating outside Ireland, is not a model that would comply with Irish law. No special regulations have been developed to govern the carriage of passengers by passenger cars, which are not SPSVs. Therefore, the model where anyone with a private car and an App can provide taxi services, does not exist here. It is not government policy and there is no intention to introduce it.
The structure of the taxi and hackney market has undoubtedly changed since liberalisation of the market took place, and more notably in recent years, in relation to the role of dispatch operators. I have requested that the NTA conducts a regulatory assessment of dispatch operator licensing in Ireland in the context of ensuring that the regulatory framework for this element of the overall sector is sufficiently up to date and robust to respond to developments since the enactment of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013.
The NTA has informed me that they are developing a Call for Inputs on the dispatch operator licensing framework as a priority, and expects to publish the Call in late February/early March and intend to seek views from stakeholders as part of this process. Details of public consultations on SPSV matters can be found on the SPSV Latest News page on the NTA’s website and all stakeholders are invited to make a submission at the relevant time. A sustainable taxi sector is an important element of our transport system, and I encourage all stakeholders to take the opportunity to feed into this important piece of work, as input from stakeholders will inform the NTA's process and decision-making in revising the current dispatch operator framework.
206. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport the current status of planned investment works at Millstreet railway station; the timeline for any upgrades to accessibility, parking capacity and platform facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14230/26]
View answerI am pleased to outline to the Deputy that in relation to planned improvements to the car park at Millstreet Station, Iarnród Éireann have informed my Department that following the granting of planning permission, a tender process is expected to commence this week, with construction for the project expected to start in Quarter 3, 2026. This is with a view to completion next year. The works will also include some minor accessibility upgrades to the carpark.
Noting Iarnród Éireann's (IÉ) responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to IÉ for a direct reply on the specific matter raised. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.
207. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to report on the measures he is taking to improve real-time service updates on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15490/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am typically 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.
The performance of all public transport operators is closely monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators. The NTA's contracts with public transport operators have been strengthened in recent years, to incentivise operators to operate more reliable and punctual services, and they are also investing in a new vehicle location system for the fleet which will improve the reliability of the real time passenger information system.
The NTA awarded a contract to implement and support a National Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system for all Public Service Obligation (PSO) buses to Trapeze in December 2023. The upgrade will improve the quality of bus service operations and the timeliness and the quality of real time bus service information.
This will enable to the NTA to consolidate several existing bus AVL systems into one central system to be used by all PSO bus operators in Ireland and has expansion capacity to meet the growing demand for public transport in Ireland. The migration to this upgraded system is expected to take place across the coming years.
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 10 working days.
208. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Transport the reasons counties Cavan and Monaghan have experienced a reduction in local and regional roads funding allocations in 2026 compared to 2025; and if he will acknowledge the significant deterioration of road conditions across both counties following recent prolonged periods of severe and adverse weather. [14947/26]
View answerThe improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from Councils' own resources, which are supplemented by State grants for regional and local roads.
The 2026 regional and local road allocations were notified to local authorities on 17th February, and Cavan County Council has been allocated a total of €19,165,275. Of this, €18,755,275 has been allocated for the protection and renewal of Cavan's regional and local roads. This is an increase from the initial 2025 allocation of €18,218,150 for protection and renewal grants.
In 2026, Monaghan County Council has been allocated a total of €17,231,600. Of this, €16,486,600 has been allocated for the protection and renewal of regional and local roads. This is an increase from the initial 2025 allocation of €16,203,350 for protection and renewal grants.
In addition to the annual protection and renewal grants, the Department provided funding to a number of local authorities, including Cavan and Monaghan County Councils, to undertake Reclaimed Asphalt Pilot trials in 2024 and 2025.
Cavan and Monaghan County Councils delivered a number of road restoration improvement schemes as part of this pilot project, using recycled asphalt road plannings. While the works elements of the pilot scheme have now been complete, ongoing testing and analysis is being carried out to determine the effectiveness of the recycled asphalt. It is only once this testing and review process is complete can consideration be given to the implementation of guidelines for widespread use across the country. As the lead local authority on this pilot, Monaghan County Council has been allocated €75,000 in 2026 to complete testing.
The Department would like to acknowledge Cavan and Monaghan County Councils' role in helping to deliver the onsite works carried out under the Reclaimed Asphalt Pilot.
Government is committed to assisting affected local authorities in the aftermath of Storm Chandra. My Department is liaising with affected counties, who are continuing to compile and assess damage on the ground to enable proper estimation of the total damage caused and the estimated cost of remediation.
It should be noted that Exchequer funding for regional and local roads is intended to supplement realistic contributions from local authorities’ own resources. Local authorities are also advised to set aside a contingency from Department allocations and own resources for severe weather events. As the statutory road authorities for their areas, it is also open to local authorities to prioritise investment on regional and local roads.
