Joe Neville
Question:115. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Social Protection the added measures his Department hope to introduce in Budget 2027 to help families with the cost of living. [67635/26]
View answerBudget 2027
Questions (115)
Written answers
The Government and I are keenly aware of financial pressures on families and children, particularly in relation to child poverty and the impact of cost-of-living increases in recent years. That is why additional measures were introduced in Budgets 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Budgets 2024 and 2025 at the time were the largest social welfare packages in the history of the State, highlighting the Government’s determination to drive down poverty rates for children. Budget 2026 aimed to move away from one-off payments towards permanent, targeted payments to support the most vulnerable. A €320 million social welfare package for children included the largest ever increase in the Child Support Payment, increased thresholds for the Working Family Payment, and the extension of Fuel Allowance to those on the Working Family Payment. In addition the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance was extended to two and three year olds.
Non-income measures, including investment in Hot School Meals and free schoolbooks, and measures in relation to other key areas that impact poverty and the cost of living, notably housing, education, childcare and health, are also an important part of our focus to tackle child poverty and to support struggling families.
Given the economic uncertainty, Budget 2027 is being framed in a difficult and challenging environment, but I intend to secure a Social Protection Budget package that targets available resources to support those most in need.
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (116)
Séamus McGrath
Question:116. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the qualifying eligibility and the rate of the living alone allowance. [67326/26]
View answerWritten answers
It is acknowledged that those who live alone and are dependent on certain payments from my Department face a higher cost of living than a two couple household. It is for this reason that the Living Alone Increase is available to those in receipt of qualifying payments from my Department.
The Living Alone Increase is a supplementary payment to those who are aged over 66, living alone and in receipt of a State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Bereaved Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, an Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme or a Deserted Wife's Benefit. It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of a Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.
It is not a stand-alone payment and for this reason it is only available to those in receipt of one of those specified payments. In total about 260,000 people receive the payment on a weekly basis.
The current rate of the Living Alone Increase is €22 a week. It has increased by over 144% since 2019, when it was just €9 per week. The most recent change to the rate was in Budget 2022 when it was increased by €3, from €19 per week to its current rate of €22 per week.
Any future changes to the qualifying criteria or rate of pay for the Living Alone Increase will have to be considered in the overall budgetary context, including possible increases to primary rates and other supports available to those who receive the payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Question No. 117 answered with Question No. 37.
Questions Nos. 118 to 123, inclusive, answered orally.
Bus Services
Questions (124)
Naoise Ó Cearúil
Question:124. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the reasoning behind the proposed removal of the direct 126D bus service to Dublin City University as part of the revised 126 corridor; the assessment carried out of the impact on students currently using the service; and whether the National Transport Authority will consider retaining direct peak-time services to DCU where demand exists. [67344/26]
View answerWritten answers
As part of their statutory role for providing public transport services nationally, I understand the NTA reviewed this service as part of a wider review of the Kildare Commuter network, which was publicly consulted on earlier this year. The review was aimed at improving punctuality and reliability, adding capacity and improving the navigational ease of the corridor. The consultation response was broadly supportive, with clear agreement on the need for additional capacity in particular.
The proposal simplifies the numerous 126 variants into a single, higher frequency alignment between Dublin, Naas, Newbridge, Kildare and Rathangan, backed by a 24-hour service between Dublin, Naas and Newbridge, plus new routes to serve areas like UCD and Suncroft.
I understand from the NTA that the current 126D service provides one morning inbound trip into DCU from Newbridge. On the DCU stop specifically, the NTA advise that the direct link was reprioritised to a connection to concentrate resources on the higher capacity primary corridor, giving passengers more frequent access to the city centre, where they can interchange on to urban buses for the final leg of their journey. That in turn allows commuter buses to run more intensively on the core corridor. It is also worth noting that this interchange was already required for the return trip in the evening period.
The NTA’s assessment is that this is a more efficient and effective use of resources and while there are no current plans to retain a dedicated peak period service to DCU, they will keep all planning considerations under review. I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to work with the NTA to ensure we are delivering a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, and affordable for everyone, including our student population.
Dublin Airport Authority
Questions (125)
Gillian Toole
Question:125. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the reason €20 million was spent by Dublin Airport Authority insulating homes in the noise preferential route of the North runway when these homes are not being flown over since August 2023. [67017/26]
View answerWritten answers
I want to begin by assuring the Deputy that I fully acknowledge the impact that aircraft noise can have on those living and working in the vicinity of Dublin Airport.
That said, it is important to note that, as Minister, I do not have a role in determining the criteria for the insulation or buyout schemes operated by daa.
The Residential Noise Insulation Scheme was established in advance of the opening of the North Runway in accordance with the relevant planning conditions. To determine eligibility, a revised noise forecast prepared for the opening of the North Runway was combined with the original planning forecast to identify homes expected to experience aircraft noise above the qualifying threshold. The combined noise contour was approved by Fingal County Council.
It is also important to note that once a dwelling is deemed eligible for the scheme, it remains permanently eligible, regardless of any subsequent changes in operational patterns or noise exposure levels.
As the Deputy will appreciate, forecasting is an essential element of infrastructure planning and is based on the best information available at the time, although actual operational patterns may vary from forecast assumptions.
The scheme is reviewed every two years using actual operational data. The first review was completed in 2024 using data from summer 2023 operations, while the most recent review was completed earlier this year using data from summer 2025.
These reviews resulted in additional dwellings becoming eligible for the scheme. They also found that some dwellings initially predicted to fall within the qualifying noise contour were not exposed to noise levels to the extent originally forecast. Nevertheless, under the terms of the scheme, those dwellings retained their eligibility.
It is my understanding that, since the scheme was introduced by the daa, residential noise insulation works have been completed in 205 dwellings at a total cost of approximately €10.5 million.
Question No. 126 answered orally.
Fuel Prices
Questions (127)
Danny Healy-Rae
Question:127. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport for updates on the fuel subsidy support schemes. [66662/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS) was introduced earlier this year to support road transport operators in the face of rising fuel costs. The RTSS was necessitated by the essential role played by the road transport sector in Ireland’s supply chains, supporting businesses and providing essential connectivity across both urban and rural communities. The RTSS provides direct financial support to licensed hauliers, commercial coach operators and the own-account sector in line with EU de minimis rules on State Aid.
My Department received approximately 4,400 applications, covering more than 31,500 vehicles under the Scheme. All applications submitted to my Department during the original application window that provided complete information have been assessed and approved for payment in respect of eligible vehicles. This equates to approximately 3,400 applications that have been approved for payment by my Department, please note that applications may have a mixture of eligible and ineligible vehicles and some applications did not include any eligible vehicles. Approximately €52 million has been paid to date directly to these applicants. An additional €6.9m has been transferred to the Department of Education and Youth for payment to school transport providers. The final cost of the Scheme is not presently known as it will depend on the ongoing processing of applications.
The remaining applications featured errors that were identified by Department staff during their application processing. Broadly speaking, these errors relate to missing or invalid financial information, invalid operator licence numbers, or duplicate information that appeared across multiple applications. My Department engaged directly with these affected applicants to rectify these issues.
The processing of all remaining applications submitted during the initial application window is now in an advanced stage. I understand that approximately 470 applications where processing was delayed due to missing or invalid financial information have now been assessed and approved for payment noting that not all applicants will receive a payment as their application may not have included any eligible vehicles. Further to this, I understand that all remaining applications will be processed in the coming days and applicants will be contacted directly with an assessment outcome.
Additionally, approximately 120 late application requests were received by my Department during the designated late application window. My Department has reviewed these requests and will engage directly with the requesters by the end of this week.
All applicants will have the right to appeal decisions that resulted in payment being withheld for one or more vehicles. I expect details of the appeals process to be confirmed shortly.
Questions Nos. 128 and 129 answered orally.
Rail Network
Questions (130)
Emer Currie
Question:130. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport for an update on Dart+West; and whether Irish Rail plans on engaging with the local community on the closure of level crossings. [67496/26]
View answerWritten answers
DART+ West will provide a transformational investment in the electrified rail network, doubling capacity at peak hours and extending DART services from the City Centre to M3 Parkway and Kilcock.
I am pleased to note that, subject to the necessary approvals, the tender documentation for DART+ West is expected to be issued before the end of the year. This will be an important milestone and set us on the path of early work on the line commencing before the end of 2027 and main works commencing in 2028.
In terms of public consultation on the project, Iarnród Éireann has engaged in extensive public consultation on DART+ West prior to, and as part of, the Railway Order process.
Iarnród Éireann will continue to engage with local communities as the project progresses towards construction. This engagement will focus on the timing, phasing and potential impacts of the level crossing replacement works and will include advance notification of planned works, regular project updates, consultation with local authorities and elected representatives, and targeted engagement with directly affected residents, businesses and community organisations.
I also understand that under the procurement process being put in place for DART+ West, contractors will be required to undertake comprehensive stakeholder engagement and public communications activities as an integral part of the project delivery process.
Questions Nos. 131 and 132 answered orally.
Public Transport
Questions (133)
Eoghan Kenny
Question:133. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Transport for an update as of September 2026 on the proposed increased fares on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67661/26]
View answerWritten answers
To add to the previous responses on this matter - set to be introduced in January 2027, the upcoming Fares Determination will see Adult Fares on PSO services increase by an average of 15% although many child fares will be reduced, particularly in towns and regional cities. Most fares are still below 2018 levels. The determination will also continue to support Government fare initiatives, including the Free Travel Scheme, free travel for children under nine years of age, and companion travel arrangements for people aged over 70.
These changes are the first major revision since 2018 forming part of the NTA’s National Fare Strategy and support the continued expansion and improvement of public transport, while maintaining affordability.
To support this endeavour, the NTA have also identified approximately 140 new service initiatives and capacity enhancements nationally as part of its 2027 budget submission to the Department of Transport. Subject to the Estimates Process, this represents the biggest in year and year-on-year enhancement of services in many years. The changes also represent an important step towards standardising fares nationwide, in line with the National Fare Strategy published in 2023.
Public transport requires ongoing investment to maintain, improve and expand services. Fare revenue helps fund these measures, making it important to balance affordability with inflationary increases.
The adjustments to fares are required to ensure the sustainability of the PSO funding model and support Government’s commitment to continued network growth, service enhancements, investment in BusConnects in Dublin, Cork and other cities, the completion of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Programme, continued development of commuter rail services and for funding future improvements, while keeping public transport competitive and affordable.
Question No. 134 answered orally.