Written Answers Nos. 180-190
180. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport when the age friendly walkability audited footpaths and junctions of Dunshaughlin and Ratoath, County Meath will be upgraded to ensure the pedestrian safety of older people and all residents of these towns. [23514/26]
View answerAs Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to Active Travel infrastructure. The National Transport Authority (NTA) along with the relevant local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of individual projects.
As part of the allocations determination, the NTA liaises with each local authority to fully understand the projects being proposed by the local authority and its considerations in terms of priorities.
Given the ramping up of activities over the last few years in the Active Travel area, the number of projects being progressed now exceeds the level of funding made available to the NTA. Accordingly, the NTA is unable to fully fund all proposed Active Travel projects and has to prioritise certain projects over others in order to remain within its allocated budget. While a project may not be selected by the NTA for funding in a particular year, it may be funded in subsequent years.
Noting the role of the NTA in the matter, I have referred your question to that agency for a more detailed answer. If you do not receive a reply within 10 working days, please contact my private office.
181. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport the steps that a person returning to Ireland must take to have their driving licence transferred back to an Irish one; if cases can be escalated based on needs for employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23186/26]
View answer183. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Transport the work to improve US-Ireland drivers licence exchange agreement arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23193/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 183 together.
As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that Irish driver licensing operates within a framework of EU law – the driver licensing legislation with which all Member States must comply – and the standards for testing drivers are set at EU level. This ensures that all EU/EEA driving licence holders have been tested at a uniform standard and allows licences to be recognised for use across the region.
Someone who is resident in Ireland must hold an Irish or EU/EEA driving licence to drive here. A visitor to Ireland can use a non-EU/EEA licence during their visit, provided it is current and valid, but on taking up normal residence here they must exchange their licence or apply for an Irish licence.
Irish licences are, in general, granted for ten years. An Irish licence holder, if resident in Ireland, may renew their licence for up to ten years after expiry. After this period, the licence lapses and the holder must start the learning to drive process again.
A driving licence may be exchanged for an Irish licence where Ireland has a driving licence exchange agreement with the other jurisdiction. A person with a full but non-exchangeable licence must go through the normal driver learning process, but can avail of shorter Essential Driver Training of 6 lessons, instead of 12, and does not have to be a learner for the usual minimum of 6 months before taking a driving test.
Ireland may make bilateral licence exchange agreements with non-EU jurisdictions. This is a technical, road safety-based process and reaching an agreement is not a matter of political will. In considering whether to enter such an agreement, the authorities on each side compare the two licensing regimes and must be satisfied that they are compatible.
As licence exchange agreements protect public safety by ensuring that people licensed to drive on our roads have reached recognised standards, the most important element in reaching an agreement is that the other jurisdiction's licensing regime applies standards for obtaining a licence which are comparable with our own. Where these standards are not met, no agreement is possible, no matter how desirable an agreement with that jurisdiction may be. For Ireland, this task is carried out by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
US driver licensing operates at state, rather than federal, level. Accordingly, there are 50 licensing systems, with widely varying standards and road safety performance, many with levels of road fatalities significantly worse than most EU countries. Agreement with any one state would mean taking into account the exchange relationships between that state and the other 49.
In line with Programme for Government commitments regarding the easier return to Ireland for emigrants, the RSA has been directed to engage with the state licencing authorities for three US states. The assessment process for a possible licence exchange agreement is technical in nature between the licencing authorities and is necessarily independent of political involvement. This process is ongoing.
182. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on measures to improve waiting times for in-care driving tests; the average waiting time for each testing centre in March of 2026, and in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23192/26]
View answerUnder the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the National Driver Testing Service, including all testing and scheduling matters. Neither I nor my officials are involved in the service at an operational level.
Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the RSA for direct, detailed response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
Since taking office, reducing driver test waiting times has been a key priority for me. In May 2025, I directed the RSA to produce and publish a service recovery plan to meet the 10-week average national waiting time target by September 2025, which the RSA achieved.
The latest information available to me from the RSA indicates that as of 21 March the average national waiting time for a driving test was 11.7 weeks. The RSA is continuing to work to reduce wait times to the agreed 10 week target however, the current wait time marks a significant improvement on the 27-week average wait time in April 2025.
In September 2024, my Department conveyed sanction for 70 additional driver testing posts on a permanent basis, bringing the permanent sanction to 200, which represents a doubling of permanent posts since June 2022. As of 21 March, 194 testers were in place, which marks a significant increase on the 151 available at the beginning of 2025. The RSA is working to reach its full complement of 200 testers subject to the next successful training and onboarding of new recruits.
The RSA has also indicated that overtime and bank holiday testing will continue in 2026. I would also highlight that, to manage demand effectively at national level, testers, although formally assigned to specific centres, are routinely deployed to other locations as required.
In addition a new test centre opened in Mitchelstown in December and I am informed that new test centres in Drogheda and Sandyford will be operational shortly. This should assist in reducing average wait times in those areas.
Finally, the driver testing booking system now makes available cancelled test slots for candidates to take up at short notice. I would encourage learner drivers awaiting a test to monitor this channel, which may provide an opportunity to book an earlier testing date.
The Deputy may also wish to note that detailed statistics for the average waiting times at each test centre are made available on the CSO website on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link: https://data.cso.ie/table/ROA36.
184. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to ongoing parking situation at MacDonagh Station, Kilkenny where over 20% of the carparking spaces have been unavailable for several months; when the use of these spaces will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23232/26]
View answerAs Minister of State, I have responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter, the queries raised by the Deputy are operational matters for the company. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's questions to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
185. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of ongoing issues with the reliability of the 170-bus service from Cavan to Dundalk, including last-minute cancellations; the steps being taken to improve reliability and communication with passengers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23245/26]
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.
186. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the number of times the Road Safety Leadership Group has met since the publication of the Phase 2 Action Plan of the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 in July 2025; when they the group will next meet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23246/26]
View answerThe delivery of the Phase 2 Action Plan of the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 is overseen at Ministerial level by the Road Safety Leadership Group. This Group is chaired by Minister Canney who is responsible for Road Safety and is attended by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. This Group comprises senior officials from all key road safety partners including An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority, Department of Transport, Department of Justice, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, National Transport Authority, the Courts Service, Medical Bureau of Road Safety , Health and Safety Authority and the Local Authorities. This Group has held two meetings since commencement of the Phase 2 Action Plan, on 5 November 2025 and 17 February 2026. The next meeting has been provisionally set for 16 April 2026.
187. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide €200,000 to Kerry County Council to allow a planning application to be submitted for the provision of a new pavement and footpath on the Killorglin to Killarney, N70 Ring of Kerry road from Laune Bridge out to the new hub (details supplied) at Anglont, where residents have been campaigning for the past 40 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23247/26]
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 operation and management 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 this.
The Government is committed to reducing road deaths and creating safer roads for everyone in Ireland.
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.
188. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will examine the current Irish Rail timetable serving the Ballina branch line, with particular reference to the morning service arriving into Ballina at 9.07 am, which does not align with common school and workplace start times of 9.00 am; if he will assess the feasibility of adjusting the timetable so that the service arrives before 9.00 am to better support commuters; and if he will further review the connection times at Manulla Junction, where passengers from Castlebar and Westport currently face wait times of approximately one hour when transferring to the Ballina service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23256/26]
View answerAs Minister of State, I have responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
In view of Iarnród Éireann's responsibility in this matter, the queries raised by the Deputy are operational matters for the company. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's questions to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
189. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport to clarify the position for 18-year-olds, depending on whether in full-time education or not, as to when they qualify for a child Leap card, a young adult card or a student card; and the proposals to address potential anomalies. [23324/26]
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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.
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.
190. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport if he has any input into decisions concerning the quality of service offered by Irish Rail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23325/26]
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.
As with other State bodies under my Department I engage as appropriate with the Chair and the executive in relation to relevant issues, I meet with the Chairperson and CEO of Iarnród Éireann on a regular basis, or as the need arises.
My officials have a structured engagement process with Iarnród Éireann and receive regular updates on programme delivery and services. My Department has regular engagement with the company at all levels, including at CEO level, in relation to issues including governance, financial, investment, safety, and service related issues, and I am of course briefed by my Department on any relevant issues which arise during the course of such normal administrative and corporate governance related contact between my Department and the company.
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 the Deputy that the performance of all public transport operators, including Iarnród Éireann, is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the 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.
