Aindrias Moynihan
Question:118. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport when a new bus route (details supplied) will be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46334/26]
View answerThursday, 18 June 2026
Questions (118)
Written answers
As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport I recognise the vital role that enhanced connectivity plays in supporting communities across rural Ireland, including in Cork.
As mentioned previously, €940 million of funding for Public Service Obligation and TFI Local Link services was secured in Budget 2026, including €31 million for rural transport service provision. With growing operational costs and demand, it is a priority for the Department and the NTA to stabilise the PSO position this year, while ensuring services already in place can operate reliably and sustainably.
The NTA have confirmed that Route 256 between Bantry and Macroom is now at an advanced stage of planning, and the commencement of the same is subject to funding and resource availability, such as fleet, drivers, and mechanics.
I must take this opportunity to highlight that Cork has seen a significant investment in rural transport in recent years with funding increasing by 46% between 2024 and 2025, to over €7.2m. Passenger numbers on Rural Regular Service routes in Cork also increased by 95% from 2024 to 2025.
This investment underpins our ongoing commitment to Connecting Ireland, which has been a major success story. Since 2022, 185 new or enhanced services have been delivered, connecting over 240 towns and villages to the public transport network. These services include 61 new healthcare connections, 41 links to higher education, and 71 connections to rail services. Increased services have led to exponential growth in passenger numbers, with more than 8 million passenger journeys made on Connecting Ireland routes in 2025.