Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
425. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has assessed the impact the absence of late night and 24-hour public transport services across parts of north Dublin is having on commuters, hospitality workers and local communities; whether expanded overnight DART or bus services are under consideration for the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40124/26]
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.
Night-time bus services offers clear benefits, including providing reliable travel options for late-night workers, supporting the night-time economy, and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing reliance on private cars.
In terms of extending the service operating hours, BusConnect's Network Redesign, as I have no doubt you are aware, is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, aimed at improving public transport services across the city, by strengthening the existing TfI system through enhanced services with high frequency spines and new local, orbital and radial routes. As part of the Redesign, the NTA has introduced fifteen 24-hour bus services such as E1, E2, F1, and F2, across the city in recent years, significantly enhancing both late night and early morning travel options.
This has allowed more people, particularly night-time and shift workers to use and avail of public transport services. In addition, there are 12 Nitelink services which run from the city centre to suburbs on Friday and Saturday nights, providing extra capacity during peak late-night demand periods.
Iarnród Éireann operates all available trains across the network on a daily basis to meet the record demand being experienced on all routes. This is outside of required maintenance cycles to ensure fleet reliability, and any repair works which may be taking place. However, over periods such as St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and New Year, Iarnród Éireann endeavours to put on additional late night services to accommodate passengers.
I do consider that there may be merit in extending operating hours to additional routes, however it is essential that any planning considerations for the NTA are both operationally justified and financially sustainable within resource allocations.
Additionally, to encourage more taxi services during peak times, the application of the 2024 maximum fare is weighted towards the night time period at weekends. The NTA is currently surveying SPSV operators to better understand working patterns and the uptake of night-time fares to inform the 2026 Maximum Fare Review, which is envisaged to be published later this year.
We have seen huge growth in public transport usage in recent years, and the Government remains committed to the ongoing enhancement of the TFI network, ensuring that public transport continues to be an affordable, reliable, and attractive option for all passengers. This is evident in the Programme for Government commitment to ensuring that public transport is as accessible as possible, supports the delivery of services, and incentivises off-peak travel.
