I now deal with the deferred division relating to the ministerial amendment to the motion regarding flexible work and commuter delays. Earlier today on the question, "That the amendment be made", a division was claimed and that division must now be taken.
Flexible Work and Commuter Delays: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Ciarán Ahern on Wednesday, 21 January 2026:
That Dáil Éireann:
notes that:
— employees in Ireland have no right to flexible and remote work, only a right to request it from their employer;
— more workers are being forced back to the office, with some large employers, including in the public sector, moving to increase the number of days per week that must be spent in the workplace;
— in a recent study by INRIX, Dublin ranked as the 11th most congested city in the world, and the third worst in Europe;
— commuters and drivers now experience significant traffic delays, whether through cities like Galway, on roads like the N40 and N25 in Cork, or on arterial routes into Dublin, such as the M1, M4, M7/N7 and M11;
— Transport Infrastructure Ireland has said there is almost nothing it can do to address traffic gridlock on the M50, and that it is at capacity;
— more frequent Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) services, and increased capacity on existing routes, has been delayed due to supply issues with new battery trains, with a knock-on impact on other planned network improvements;
— public transport projects with planning permission are not progressing due to a lack of political will to provide funds, including DART+ South West, now paused at least four years to beyond 2030, and Luas Finglas delayed until 2029;
— commuters cannot rely on bus services to arrive when scheduled, bus lanes are not properly policed, active travel alternatives are not safe, and congestion is worsening;
— delivery of active travel infrastructure to encourage cycling and walking is too slow and inconsistent, and the level of investment is falling as a proportion of the transport budget;
— traffic congestion leads to increased air pollution and poses a significant public health risk; and
— transport is the biggest source of energy demand and the second largest source of emissions in Ireland, which must halve by 2030, and required a decrease of 12.4 per cent in both 2024 and 2025 to meet the sectoral emission ceiling in the first carbon budget, which will not be achieved, with projected reductions of only 1.3 per cent and 2 per cent respectively in those years;
recognises that the lack of a right to flexible and remote work, and the failure to provide reliable and accessible active travel alternatives and public transport, particularly in rural Ireland, is forcing more and more workers to rely on private vehicles to reach their place of work, leading to increased congestion and unnecessary carbon emissions; and
calls on the Government to:
— introduce a real right for employees to flexible and remote work, where it is reasonably practicable;
— ensure that the public service leads by example so that workers are not forced back to the office when their work can be carried out remotely;
— launch a new Operation Free Flow to address congestion, that includes:
— a rapid response team in situ on all arterial routes into the M50, starting with the M7/N7, to respond to road traffic incidents;
— the immediate progression of the M4 Bus Priority Lane project, and rollout of this initiative to other routes including the M9 and M7;
— a new campaign to improve driver behaviour on our roads and increased roads policing; and
— a real time app on traffic updates for commuters, and improved reporting of incidents to local and national media;
— urgently introduce an action plan to improve public transport services over the next 12 months, including measures to:
— provide more early morning and late-night trains, and increase the frequency of services into Dublin and other cities;
— introduce additional train carriages, and explore all options to increase public transport capacity;
— fast track the delivery of park and ride/share facilities in cities and outside the greater Dublin area;
— introduce automatic number plate recognition cameras, to enforce the rules of the road at junctions and bus gates, and ensure bus lanes are properly policed;
— improve the reliability of bus timetables, real time information displays, and the Transport for Ireland App; and
— require the National Transport Authority to introduce contactless payment, and guarantee accessibility for people with disabilities on public transport services within 12 months;
— reverse the decision to delay DART+ South West and Luas Finglas, and prioritise the rollout of public transport projects including additional Local Link services, Bus Connects, and active travel infrastructure, including quick-build segregated cycle lanes throughout Dublin city and county; and
— prioritise the rollout of new Luas lines in Cork, Galway, and Dublin, and the improvement and development of new regional and suburban rail links, including to transport hubs such as Shannon Airport and Rosslare Europort, on the Western rail corridor, and to towns like Navan.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"notes that:
— the Government is committed to the delivery of major public transport projects, as evidenced by last year's review of the National Development Plan (NDP) allocation of €24.3 billion to transport projects from 2026 to 2030;
— the NDP Sectoral Plan for Transport 2026-2030 involves a funding ratio of at least 2:1 in favour of new public transport over new roads projects, and for the next five years there will be approximately €3.3 billion allocated towards new roads investment and, at a minimum, approximately €7 billion towards new public transport investment;
— while the Government has allocated an unprecedented level of investment in transport, representing an almost 87 per cent increase as compared to the previous five-year period, investment decisions will always require a degree of sequencing and prioritisation of individual projects;
— for public transport infrastructure, there is circa €12.1 billion in funding in the new NDP from 2026 to 2030, and this represents more than double the amount provided in the previous five years;
— the funding in the new NDP will provide for the progression of a number of major public transport projects over this period, including the commencement of construction of MetroLink, Luas Finglas, the Dublin Area Rapid Transport (DART)+ programme, and the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris, as well as the continued implementation of the Cork Area Commuter Rail programme and the BusConnects programmes across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities;
— in particular, the funding will allow Luas Finglas to commence construction within the period of this NDP, which is ahead of the post-2030 schedule for the project's construction commencement in the National Transport Authority Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy;
— furthermore, funding secured under this NDP review will see construction start before 2030 on the DART+ programme, beginning with DART+ West, which is a crucial enabler of the rest of the programme and particularly DART+ South West;
— on public transport services, Public Service Obligation (PSO) journeys have continued to grow steadily, reaching a record 343 million passenger journeys by the end of 2024, and this represents an increase of 32 million journeys compared with 2023, and exceeds prepandemic levels, and a significant milestone was reached in October 2024, when PSO services recorded one million journeys in a single day, and although the full year figures are not yet available for 2025, early indicators show continued growth, with Dublin Bus recording 164 million journeys in 2025, an increase of 5 million on 2024 and the highest annual total on record;
— Connecting Ireland is another strong example of progress, delivering exponential growth in rural transport since its launch in 2022, with 185 new and enhanced services having been introduced, resulting in almost 8 million passenger journeys in 2024, and where Connecting Ireland services have been implemented, patronage rose by 38 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and is up by 165 per cent compared to early 2019; and
— in addition, €360 million has been allocated to Active Travel and Greenway Programmes in 2026, continuing the high level of funding which has seen €1 billion invested in walking and cycling infrastructure projects since the start of the decade, and over 1,000 kilometres of active travel infrastructure has been constructed since 2021, with networks of walking and cycling infrastructure beginning to emerge in our towns and cities, allowing commuters to choose active transport modes to travel to work and school; and
affirms Government efforts to:
— deliver public transport projects;
— support households and businesses through addressing congestion; and
— work to address Ireland's climate targets.".
-(Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Jerry Buttimer)
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 84; Níl, 67; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Aird, William.
- Ardagh, Catherine.
- Boland, Grace.
- Brabazon, Tom.
- Brennan, Brian.
- Brennan, Shay.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Colm.
- Butler, Mary.
- Butterly, Paula.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Malcolm.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Michael.
- Callaghan, Catherine.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Carrigy, Micheál.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
- Clendennen, John.
- Connolly, John.
- Cooney, Joe.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Cummins, John.
- Currie, Emer.
- Daly, Martin.
- Dempsey, Aisling.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Dolan, Albert.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
- Geoghegan, James.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Harkin, Marian.
- Healy-Rae, Danny.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Heneghan, Barry.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Keogh, Keira.
- Lahart, John.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Maxwell, David.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McCarthy, Noel.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McCormack, Tony.
- McEntee, Helen.
- McGrath, Séamus.
- McGreehan, Erin.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Moynihan, Shane.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Michael.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Joe.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connell, Maeve.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Meara, Ryan.
- O'Shea, John Paul.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Muirí, Naoise.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Roche, Peter.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Timmins, Edward.
- Toole, Gillian.
- Troy, Robert.
- Ward, Barry.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bennett, Cathy.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Byrne, Joanna.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cummins, Jen.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrelly, Aidan.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Gibney, Sinéad.
- Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Graves, Ann.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Hayes, Eoin.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Hearne, Rory.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Eoghan.
- Kenny, Martin.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Lawless, Paul.
- Lawlor, George.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGettigan, Donna.
- McGuinness, Conor D.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
- Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donoghue, Robert.
- O'Flynn, Ken.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Hara, Louis.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
- Quaide, Liam.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Sheehan, Conor.
- Sherlock, Marie.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Wall, Mark.
- Ward, Charles.
- Ward, Mark.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Mark Wall and Duncan Smith.
Amendment declared carried.
Question put: "That the motion, as amended, be agreed to."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 83; Níl, 67; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Aird, William.
- Ardagh, Catherine.
- Boland, Grace.
- Brabazon, Tom.
- Brennan, Brian.
- Brennan, Shay.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Colm.
- Butler, Mary.
- Butterly, Paula.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Malcolm.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Michael.
- Callaghan, Catherine.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Carrigy, Micheál.
- Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
- Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
- Clendennen, John.
- Connolly, John.
- Cooney, Joe.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Cummins, John.
- Currie, Emer.
- Daly, Martin.
- Dempsey, Aisling.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Dolan, Albert.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
- Geoghegan, James.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Harkin, Marian.
- Healy-Rae, Danny.
- Healy-Rae, Michael.
- Heneghan, Barry.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Higgins, Emer.
- Keogh, Keira.
- Lahart, John.
- Lowry, Michael.
- Maxwell, David.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McCarthy, Noel.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McCormack, Tony.
- McGrath, Séamus.
- McGreehan, Erin.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Moynihan, Shane.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Michael.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Joe.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Callaghan, Jim.
- O'Connell, Maeve.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Dea, Willie.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Donovan, Patrick.
- O'Meara, Ryan.
- O'Shea, John Paul.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Muirí, Naoise.
- Richmond, Neale.
- Roche, Peter.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Timmins, Edward.
- Toole, Gillian.
- Troy, Robert.
- Ward, Barry.
Níl
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bennett, Cathy.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Byrne, Joanna.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cummins, Jen.
- Daly, Pa.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Farrelly, Aidan.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Gannon, Gary.
- Gibney, Sinéad.
- Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Graves, Ann.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Hayes, Eoin.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Hearne, Rory.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Eoghan.
- Kenny, Martin.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Lawless, Paul.
- Lawlor, George.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McDonald, Mary Lou.
- McGettigan, Donna.
- McGuinness, Conor D.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
- Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donoghue, Robert.
- O'Flynn, Ken.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Hara, Louis.
- O'Reilly, Louise.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
- Quaide, Liam.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Sheehan, Conor.
- Sherlock, Marie.
- Smith, Duncan.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Wall, Mark.
- Ward, Charles.
- Ward, Mark.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Mark Wall and Duncan Smith.
Question declared carried.
Is féidir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scríofa ar www.oireachtas.ie.
Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.
Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 9.15 p.m. go dtí 8.47 a.m., Déardaoin, an 22 Eanáir 2026.
The Dáil adjourned at 9.15 p.m. until 8.47 a.m. on Thursday, 22 January 2026.