Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
103. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined ways of fast tracking the introduction of contactless payment on public transport from its current projected timeline of 2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15649/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLike the Deputy, I am keen to see Next Generation Ticketing implemented on the Irish public transport system. I look forward to seeing its introduction as part of BusConnects Dublin, before being delivered nationwide.
I appreciate that many public transport users have visited other countries and used contactless ticketing systems. I can assure the Deputy that significant efforts have been undertaken, and will continue to be, to implement the Next Generation Ticketing system in Ireland over the coming years.
The Minister for Transport has made significant funding available to support the move to new ticketing technology, and the National Transport Authority, or NTA, has entered into a contract with a Spanish technology company, Indra Sistemas, to deliver the project.
The Minister has also met with Indra directly on this topic, most recently on 30 January at their new Dublin Offices. During that visit, he emphasised the importance of this project and the desire of public transport users, and indeed of Government, to see it implemented without delay.
The initial focus of the project is on the Greater Dublin Area, rolled out across four phases. This is a major, complex project, with an estimated capital cost of over €160 million to implement it in the Greater Dublin Area alone. Phase 1 is due to launch in Summer 2027 which will test contactless payment on new validators or ticket machines. Phase 2 will be ready in Summer 2028, allowing passengers on Dublin's bus and Luas services to use the next ticketing technology, including contactless payments on validators. Plans for later phases remain under development at the moment.
Separately, the NTA is actively rolling out contactless payments across TFI Local Link regular services, allowing passengers to pay for single journeys via debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. The system is being deployed across all 15 TFI Local Link offices, with full completion expected by the end of this year.
