Written Answers Nos. 221-240
231. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Defence the amount her Department, or agencies under its remit, spent on advertising on a social media platform (details supplied) in each of the years 2024 and 2025 respectively; to outline any expenditure on verification or premium accounts on the platform in those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3099/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are three bodies under the aegis of my Department; the Army Pensions Board, the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces and the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB).
I can confirm that neither my Department nor any of the bodies under the aegis of my Department paid for any advertising on the social media platform concerned in the years 2024 and 2025.
232. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that existing legislation is sufficient in dealing with the misuse of scrambler bikes and e-scooters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3119/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, I wish to advise that the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 includes provisions to tackle dangerous driving and the antisocial use of scramblers and quadbikes, via three key measures:
• Under Section 5(k), dangerous driving is an offence everywhere, not only in public places;
• Under Section 5(p), An Garda Síochána have new powers of seizure;
• Under Section 11(b), there is a power to regulate for the prohibition or restriction of the uses of classes of vehicles in particular places.
A commencement order (SI No. 392/2023) gave effect to Sections 5(k), 5(p) and 11(b), empowering An Garda Síochána to seize a vehicle (including scramblers, quadbikes and motorbikes) being driven dangerously in any location. My Department is in consultation with stakeholders in the context of preparing regulations under Section 11(b), in order to ensure targeting of the correct vehicles, areas and territories.
For e-scooters, regulations providing for and governing the legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads were introduced in 2024. These regulations cover a wide range of requirements, both usage and technical, including for speed, weight, capacity and power, as well as prohibitions on, among other things, carrying more than one person, the carriage of goods and use on footpaths. The full list of regulations can be found on the gov.ie website ([E-Scooters]).
Both I and my Department are satisfied with the current regulations in place. However, the Department of Transport does intend to consider mandating helmets for e-scooter users if the evidence supports such a change.
As with all road traffic legislation, enforcement is ultimately a matter for An Garda Síochána. Gardaí can stop e-scooter user and fine them for specific fixed charge offences, including using an e-scooter in a pedestrianised street or area or on a footpath. The fine for these offences is €50.
233. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Transport the reason a person (details supplied) is expected to pay for an EV charger; and to update the relevant policy to ensure this is not a recurring problem for other homeowners. [3214/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is fully committed to supporting the transition to zero-emission transport and the ambitious target to have 30% of private car fleet switched to electric by 2030. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essential part of enabling drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles.
The Electric Vehicle Home Charger Grant is funded by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and assists residents and homeowners to install an electric vehicle charge point on their property. As part of the grant scheme terms and conditions, the property cannot be associated with a previous EV home charge point grant payment.
The full list of Terms and Conditions and Eligibility Criteria is available on the SEAI website at www.seai.ie/grants/electric-vehicle-grants/electric-vehicle-charging/electric-vehicle-home-charger-grant.
Government’s aim is to create an optimum environment to keep up with demand for EV charging and make it possible for anyone who wants an EV to have one and the EV grant system is continually reviewed.
Please be advised all individuals are afforded a complaints and appeals procedure. A complaint is a written expression of dissatisfaction where a person believes SEAI did not meet service standards or meet their expectations regarding an SEAI grant or service. Customers can submit a complaint related to errors, delays and unsatisfactory service received. An appeal is a request for review of a decision under any SEAI grant programme.
Information relating to complaints or appeals procedures are contained in SEAI's customer charter available on their website.
234. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the widespread use of e-scooters by people under the age of 16 years; his plans to address this growing issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3312/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegulations were introduced in 2024 to allow for the legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads. The safety of vulnerable road users has been of paramount importance when regulating the use of e-scooters, and these regulations are vital to reduce road safety risks.
The Regulations include restrictions on the power, weight, speed and use of e-scooters. E-scooters which comply with the Regulations may be used on public roads and anyone using an e-scooter on a public road must be 16 or older.
Enforcement of the legislation is, as for all road traffic law, under the remit of An Garda Síochána, who can seize e-scooters used by individuals under the age of 16. My officials engage regularly with An Garda Síochána on this matter.
Last month the Road Safety Authority (RSA), the agency responsible for public education and awareness, along with Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), launched a campaign urging parents and guardians not to purchase e-scooters for children under the age of 16 for Christmas. The campaign highlights the very real and devastating consequences of underage e-scooter use.
235. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the reason opportunities to expand the Dublin Airport passenger cap, as presented by the North Runway Technical Group June 2025, are being ignored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3291/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am sure we all agree, even though it is so often stated, that as an island nation, aviation plays a crucial role in our economy and society. That is why maximising connectivity to and from Ireland is one of my main priorities as Minister for Transport and one of the key commitments in the Programme for Government.
Having met with local-residents and representatives on the issue of aircraft noise, I am also very aware of their concerns regarding its impact on those who live and work in the surrounds of Dublin Airport.
I understand that the Deputy’s question is specifically in relation to proposals made by the North Runway Technical Group - a residents group in relation to changes to flight paths at Dublin Airport.
Under EU legislation, the operator of an airport, daa in the case of Dublin Airport, is responsible for the design and maintenance of Instrument Flight Procedures which set flight paths into and out of an airport.
The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation safety regulator, is the only State body that can approve proposed Instrument Flight Procedures submitted by operators of airports. It is not open to me as the Minister, to intervene in this process.
As I previously advised the Deputy in November, given the ongoing regulatory and planning processes in track regarding Dublin Airport, I understand it is not daa’s intention to embark on a flightpath review at this time.
As I have long held, it is important that daa continue to act as a good neighbour to those impacted by operations at the airport. It is my understanding that there is strong engagement between daa and local communities, including the North Runway Technical Group, regarding operations at Dublin Airport, and other related matters such as the residential sound insulation grant scheme and noise insulation grant scheme.
236. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the public-transport (bus, rail, park & ride facilities) forward planning is being worked on by his Department, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, National Transport Authority, Bus Éireann, Irish Rail for Meath-East, to ensure the delivery of an efficient & affordable public transport system in advance of revised planning/ house-building targets. [3292/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn Ireland, one of the primary means of forward planning in the transport sector, including for public transport infrastructure, is through the Metropolitan Area Transport Plans for the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2022 – 2042 covers the counties of Dublin, Meath, Kildare, and Wicklow and takes into account the Meath County Development Plan. The National Transport Authority is required under statute to review that Strategy every six years, and I note that in the last review over half of respondents who gave a place of residence were from County Meath.
By announcing when and where we are going to build public transport, we give people, including those in East Meath, a better ability to plan their lives, such as where they might want to live, work, or study. It also gives confidence to businesses seeking to set up or expand employment and to the construction sector to progress new homes.
Regarding specific forms of public transport, DART+ Coastal North provides an extension of DART services from Dublin City Centre to Drogheda, which passes through East Meath. An Coimisiún Pleanála granted planning approval in August 2025, and in November last year the Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport under the National Development Plan Review notes that there is potential to commence works on elements of the project over the period 2026 to 2030.
In addition, the National Transport Authority is leading on the development and rollout of strategic Park and Ride sites nation-wide. The Park and Ride Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2022 – 2027 sets out the vision for Park and Ride and identified zones for strategic sites in the region, which includes both the M3 Parkway and Ashbourne.
I look forward to seeing these important projects develop over the coming years, for the people of East Meath and beyond.
237. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider providing additional funding to expand Local Link bus services in the Galway east area, particularly in towns and villages without regular public transport; the current status of route development plans for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68443/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. In light of the NTA responsibilities, I have referred your question to the NTA for direct reply to you. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
Question No. 238 answered with Question No. 211.
239. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Transport if he will review the regulation and oversight of public EV charging providers, in light of concerns that current tariffs bring EV running costs close to those of petrol vehicles and risk undermining EV adoption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72813/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is fully committed to supporting the transition to zero-emission transport and the ambitious target to have 30% of private car fleet switched to electric by 2030.
While over 80% of charging is expected to happen at home, there is a vital need for a seamless public charging network that will provide for situations or instances where home charging is not possible.
Price setting by electricity suppliers and charge point operators is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. Each such company has its own approach to pricing decisions in accordance with factors such as their overall company strategic direction and developments in their cost base. There are no current plans to introduce regulation on charging costs within the EV charging sector. However, the Department will continue to monitor developments in the EV charging market, including pricing trends and impacts on users who rely on public charging, as part of its ongoing engagement with stakeholders and its wider work on the delivery of a fair, accessible and reliable EV charging network.
240. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport in line with the objectives of "Our Rural Future", the specific, measurable interventions his Department will implement in County Mayo over the next 12-months to support funding local transport solutions that connect outlying villages and townlands to essential public services. [68411/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision.
Our Rural Future - Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht’s flagship policy for a thriving rural Ireland, contains a number of commitments to improve public transport services in rural areas and pilot new transport initiatives for all local communities.
Our commitments in both the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future in relation to public transport in rural areas have been progressed, among the measures, is the hugely successful Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. This plan aims to ensure settlements over a certain size can connect to the national public transport system, expanding TFI Local Link services and prioritising public transport projects that enhance regional and rural connectivity. Under Connecting Ireland over 180 new and enhanced routes have been introduced since 2022, linking more than 240 towns and villages to the public transport network. In September 2025 TFI Local Link Mayo enhanced Route 460a which now operates five daily return services between Gob an Choire and Castlebar, providing a brand new connection to Achill Island from Castlebar and surrounding areas.
With funding under the Climate Action Fund, the National Transport Authority are implementing a pilot Smart Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) service in three areas as part of the Connecting Ireland Plan. The TFI Anseo app is a new smart demand responsive transport service providing both local trips and integrated ‘first and last mile’ connections to fixed route bus and rail services. It is anticipated that by using smart booking, trip allocation and routing technology, it will be possible to offer a more efficient, comprehensive and flexible DRT service. This Anseo app is now operating in Achill, Killarney and in the northeast of Limerick city.
My Department are engaging with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht who are currently developing a successor to Our Rural Future to cover the period 2026-2028, which will be published in the near future.
Collectively, these measures will not only further improve connectivity in these areas but will provide viable alternatives to the private car for people in rural and regional areas of Ireland.
