Tuesday, 3 Mar 2026

Written Answers Nos. 301-320

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Departmental Funding

Questions (301)

Albert Dolan

Question:

301. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport to list all schemes, funding programmes, capital funds, grant streams or other expenditure headings administered by his Department in 2025 and 2026 which result in allocations, awards, or spending that can be identified with a specific geographical location including county, district, town, or project site, to group these by funding stream or programme heading; to indicate, for each scheme, whether details of allocations or awards are published online; and if so, where such information may be accessed. [16560/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

Please note the table below contains individually identified grant schemes; However, the Department’s main budget operates on a programme basis, for example Aviation and Roads, which is not necessarily applied on a specific geographic region. Generally speaking, programme funding is awarded on a vouched basis rather than through a grant scheme.

Programme drawdowns are generally administered through the Department’s agencies.

Initiative name	Type (grants etc)	Region covered e.g single county, or multiple towns in a region	Allocations/awards reported online?
EV Passenger Car Grant	Grant	All	No
eSPSV Grant Scheme	Grant	All	No
ZEHDV Grant Scheme	Grant	All	No
LDV1	Grant	All	Yes – www.tii.ie
LDV2	Grant	All	Yes – www.tii.ie
LDV3	Grant	All	Yes – www.tii.ie
Sports Club EV Charging Scheme	Grant	All	Yes – www.gov.ie
Home Charger Grant	Grant	All	No
Apartment Charger Grant	Grant	All	No
LA Pilot Schemes	Grant	All	No
BusIt2School	Grant (under Research Programme)	Navan
Regional Airports programme 2021-2025	Grants	Donegal Airport Kerry Airport Ireland West Airport	Press release
Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme 2024	Grants	Cork Airport Shannon Airport	Press release
Regional Airports programme 2026-2030	Grants	Donegal Airport Kerry Airport Ireland West Airport Shannon Airport	Press release
Active Travel	Grants	All	Active Travel Funding allocations are available on the NTA website, including for 2025 and 2026.
National Roads Programme	Grants	All	National roads allocations for 2026 are available at: 2026-tii-la-national-roads-allocations-booklet.pdf.
Regional and Local Roads	Grants	All	Full details available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/press-releases/ministers-for-transport-announce-over-15-billion-for-national-regional-and-local-roads/.

For additional information on grant schemes administered by TII and the NTA, I have referred your question to the agencies for a direct reply.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Departmental Funding

Questions (302)

Albert Dolan

Question:

302. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport to provide the web link to his Department’s Q4 2025 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; the date on which this report was published; and if it has not yet been published, the planned publication date. [16578/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

The Purchase orders > 20k can be accessed at the link below. It was published on the 19th February, 2026.

www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/2b9782-departmental-purchase-orders-greater-than-20000/.

Departmental Funding

Questions (303)

Albert Dolan

Question:

303. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport to confirm, in respect of his Department’s published quarterly reports of procurement-related payments or purchase orders over €20,000 (details supplied), where such reports are published in PDF format but originate from an Excel or similar spreadsheet file, that the underlying data was fully expanded and validated prior to conversion so that all columns including supplier names and descriptions are fully visible and readable in the published document; to clarify whether any quality assurance process is applied to ensure that data is not truncated or partially obscured in the PDF version; and where the source file exists in machine-readable format, whether his Department will make the original Excel or CSV file available alongside the PDF in the interest of transparency, accessibility and data re-use. [16595/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's quarterly reports on procurement-related purchase orders over €20,000 are generated from the relevant source data and are reviewed prior to publication. Where reports are converted from Excel or similar spreadsheet format to PDF, the data is fully expanded and validated in advance to ensure that all columns, including supplier names and descriptions, are clearly visible and readable in the published document.

A quality assurance process is applied prior to publication to ensure that no data is truncated or obscured in the PDF version.

The Department will consider the publication of machine-readable formats, such as Excel or CSV, alongside the PDF version, having regard to transparency, accessibility and data re-use.

Driver Test

Questions (304)

Emer Currie

Question:

304. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport for an update on a driving test (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16612/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service. In that regard, the operation of the service does not fall under the direct control of the Minister and it would not be appropriate for the Minister to intervene in individual cases.

Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

Pending this response, I wish to advise the Deputy that applicants must be on the waiting list and eligible to sit a driving test before a booking invitation can be sent. Candidates can check their estimated time to receive an invite using the online estimator through the RSA portal. I would encourage all applicants to monitor the RSA portal for updates on their individual application status.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Road Traffic Accidents

Questions (305, 306)

Emer Currie

Question:

305. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of learner permit holders involved in fatal road traffic collisions each year since 2020 to date; the number of fatalities in each collision; the number of learners each year who were driving unaccompanied at the time of the fatal crash; and the number of fatalities in each fatal collision involving an unaccompanied learner driver, in tabular form. [16617/26]

Emer Currie

Question:

306. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number of learner permit holders involved in serious injury collisions each year from 2020 to date; the number of people who were seriously injured in each collision; the number of learner drivers who were driving unaccompanied at the time of the serious injury crash; and the number of people who suffered serious injuries in each collision, in tabular form. [16618/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has a statutory remit to report on fatal, serious and minor injury collisions on public roads. The RSA receives collision data from An Garda Síochána for this purpose and produces official statistics to help develop evidence-based road safety interventions.

Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's questions to the RSA for direct, detailed reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Question No. 306 answered with Question No. 305.

Coast Guard Service

Questions (307, 308, 309)

Paul Murphy

Question:

307. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport to outline the circumstances surrounding an aeromedical evacuation (details supplied). [16633/26]

Paul Murphy

Question:

308. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport the reasons for the difficulty in identifying and accessing a suitable landing site in Gaoth Dobhair; and whether there are sufficient designated and approved landing locations in rural areas such as Gaoth Dobhair to support timely aeromedical intervention. [16634/26]

Paul Murphy

Question:

309. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if the new AW189 Coastguard helicopter will no longer be permitted to land at Otharlann Alt na nGealbhán, Doire; the reasons for this decision; and the alternative arrangements that have been put in place to ensure patients from Dún na nGall and surrounding areas can continue to receive timely access to appropriate medical facilities. [16635/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 307, 308 and 309 together.

In his capacity as Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, my colleague Seán Canney T.D, has responsibility for the Irish Coast Guard and the SAR Aviation Contract.

Coast Guard helicopter services are provided under contract to my Department by Bristow Helicopters Ireland (BIL), delivering day and night time services from four bases at Sligo, Shannon, Waterford, and Dublin (Weston). In addition to provision of primary inland, costal and offshore Search and Rescue services, the Coast Guard, on request provides helicopter support to other State bodies including day and night time aeromedical support to the NAS / HSE and day and night aeromedical support to our offshore island communities.

On 02 February this year, in response to a request from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) the Sligo based Coast Guard helicopter was tasked by the Malin Head Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre, to conduct a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) mission in the Gweedore area of Co Donegal. The local Coast Guard Unit, as per standing arrangements, was tasked to provide support at the helicopter landing site. The initial site proposed by the NAS was deemed unsuitable for a helicopter landing and the Coast Guard helicopter diverted to a nearby soccer pitch from where the patient was safely transported to Alt na nGealbhán, Doire Hospital. Following a local review with the Bunbeg Coast Guard Unit, it has been determined that any future HEMS missions will operate from Gweedore GAA pitch, or from the local soccer pitch.

Hospital Landing Sites in Northern Ireland are regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The HLS at Otharlann Alt na nGealbhán, Doire, is currently not an approved helicopter landing site for such flights. Coast Guard transfers to that hospital where required will be conducted via the City of Derry Airport, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. Letterkenny University Hospital and Sligo University Hospital have approved Helicopter landing which are regularly used by Coast Guard helicopters.

I am sure that the Deputy will agree that the people of Dún na nGall and the North West in general are well served by the day and night time services provided by the Sligo based Coast Guard Helicopter (Rescue 118 as it is commonly known), supported by the three other bases as and when required.

Question No. 308 answered with Question No. 307.

Question No. 309 answered with Question No. 307.

Departmental Projects

Questions (310)

Emer Currie

Question:

310. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport for the latest update on a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16649/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to active travel. Under the Roads Act 1993, the planning, design, and construction of individual Greenways or active travel on national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.

Noting the above position, I have referred your question, on this occasion, to TII for a direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.

Bus Éireann

Questions (311)

Pádraig Rice

Question:

311. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of an issue persisting since Summer 2025 in relation to the audio levels of next stop announcements onboard Cork city buses; if he will take measures to resolve the inaccessibility of the announcements for passengers with visual and/or hearing impairments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16695/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

As 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 Bus Éireann, who have responsibility for day-to-day operational issues, to progressively make public transport accessible.

As queries relating to the audio equipment on Cork city buses are a matter for Bus Éireann 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.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Road Safety Authority

Questions (312, 313, 314, 315, 316)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

312. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether he has issued, or intends to issue, any policy direction to the Road Safety Authority requiring the publication of centre-by-centre national car test pass and fail statistics; whether he is satisfied that current publication practices meet standards of public transparency and accountability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16754/26]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

313. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the total monetary value of the current national car testing contract approved by his Department; the date of its commencement; its scheduled expiry date; whether provision exists for extension; and the anticipated timeline for the next competitive procurement process. [16755/26]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

314. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether he is satisfied that the audit and assurance framework operated by the Road Safety Authority in respect of the national car test includes statistical variance analysis of pass and fail rates across centres; whether threshold parameters are applied to identify anomalies; and whether such analysis is reported to his Department in aggregate form. [16756/26]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

315. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether the Road Safety Authority has adopted, approved, or reviewed any performance metrics applied to national car testing inspectors relating to inspection throughput, efficiency targets, or statistical outcomes; whether any such metrics are linked to contractual key performance indicators; and whether he is satisfied that such arrangements, if in place, do not create perverse incentives [16757/26]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

316. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether he has received, in aggregate form, data from the Road Safety Authority on the number and percentage of national car test fail decisions overturned on appeal in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and whether he will publish this information in the interests of public confidence [16758/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 312, 313, 314, 315 and 316 together.

Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the operation, oversight, quality assurance and delivery of the National Car Testing (NCT) service. As Minister, I have no function in respect of procurement or operational matters.

The RSA has contracted a third-party service provider to run the NCT service on its behalf and the Authority exercises a supervisory role to ensure the service is provided in line with the requirements of the contract with the service provider.

Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy’s questions to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.

A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.

Question No. 313 answered with Question No. 312.

Question No. 314 answered with Question No. 312.

Question No. 315 answered with Question No. 312.

Question No. 316 answered with Question No. 312.

Departmental Investigations

Questions (317)

Paul Murphy

Question:

317. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 415 of 13 May 2025, No. 602 of 21 May 2026, and No. 17 of 24 September 2025, to provide details of this examination of overflights of Ireland of munitions to Israel without authorisation; to provide the date upon which this examination commenced; to outline what the examination consists of; whether contact has been made with any of the airlines alleged to have carried these munitions; and when the examination will be completed. [16824/26]

Written answers

Minister for Transport

My Department’s examination into this matter commenced on the first publication of allegations and as subsequent allegations were published, these were reviewed and considered. This work is continuing so I am not in a position to provide a definitive timeframe for its completion at this time.

The examination has included verification that certain flights passed through Irish sovereign territory, engagement with air operators, requests for documentation from a number of sources including air operators and Government Departments in Belgium and a detailed examination and cross examination of the information and documentation received as a result of these requests. Detailed considerations of a legal nature have also been required.

Road Safety

Questions (318)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

318. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has conducted any policy review since 2021 of the effectiveness of section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 and section 109A of the Road Traffic Act 1961 in deterring the unlawful use of mechanically propelled vehicles in public places; whether such review included analysis of annual seizure volumes, recovery rates, and disposal rates; and if he will publish any internal briefing or policy paper prepared on this matter. [16827/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 provides that the Minister for Transport may, after consultation with the Minister for Justice, make regulations in relation to the detention, removal, storage and release or disposal of mechanically propelled vehicles in use in a public place.

Statutory Instrument 460/2011 was made in exercise of the powers set out in section 41 of the 1994 Act. These regulations were made following consultation with the Minister for Justice. Under these regulations, An Garda Síochána has the power to seize mechanically propelled vehicles being driven on public roads that have not been taxed or lack insurance, or where the driver does not hold the relevant driving licence. Once seized, An Garda Síochána has the power to dispose of a seized vehicle three weeks after the date of detention, provided two weeks' notice of the intention to dispose is given.

Regulation 5 of SI 460/2011 sets out the current fees in respect of a vehicle seized under section 41 of the 1994 Act. I intend to introduce regulations to increase the fees associated with release of mechanically propelled vehicles, such as scramblers, which have been seized under this section. The precise value of this increase is yet to be determined and will be made in consultation with the Minister for Justice.

The Road Traffic and Road Act 2023 inserted a new section 109A in the Road Traffic Act 1961 which introduced separate seizure powers for An Garda Síochána in relation to dangerous driving. Section 109A allows a member of An Garda Síochána to seize a vehicle that, in the member’s reasonable belief, is being, has been, or will be driven dangerously. This section also gave An Garda Síochána powers to enter the curtilage of a dwelling to retrieve a scrambler after the fact.

Enforcement of these seizure powers and analysis of annual seizure volumes, recovery rates and disposal rates are a matter for An Garda Síochána.

Road Safety

Questions (319, 320)

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

319. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has conducted a regulatory impact assessment, cost-benefit analysis, or deterrence modelling in advance of the proposed increase in release fees for seized scramblers; the behavioural or economic evidence is being relied upon to determine the revised fee structure; and whether projected fee levels have been benchmarked against enforcement regimes in other EU jurisdictions. [16828/26]

Ken O'Flynn

Question:

320. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if he will set out the proposed revised release fee and daily storage charge for seized scramblers under forthcoming regulations; whether the intention is to introduce a tiered or escalating penalty framework; and whether any element of the revised charge will be retained centrally or applied to offset enforcement costs. [16829/26]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport

I propose to take Questions Nos. 319 and 320 together.

Under powers introduced by section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994, An Garda Síochána has the power to seize mechanically propelled vehicles, such as scramblers, being driven on public roads without tax or insurance. Once seized, An Garda Síochána has the power to dispose of a seized vehicle three weeks after the date of detention, provided two weeks' notice of the intention to dispose is given. Separate seizure powers, introduced by the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023, exist with respect to dangerous driving.

The current fees in respect of a vehicle seized under section 41 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 are set out in Statutory Instrument 460/2011. For a scrambler, the fees are €125 on the day of detention and €35 for each day or storage. While I intend to increase the fees associated with release of scramblers in forthcoming regulations, the precise value is yet to be determined. These regulations will be made in consultation with the Minister for Justice.

Question No. 320 answered with Question No. 319.

• Written Answers Nos. 281-300
• Written Answers Nos. 321-340