Emer Currie
Ceist:381. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport to clarify a matter relating to BusConnects (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34706/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBus Services
Ceisteanna (381)
Freagraí scríofa
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, including the BusConnects Dublin programme.
In light of the above, I have forwarded the Deputy's questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
Pending this more detailed response, the I note that BusConnects is a transformative investment programme in the bus system, providing better bus services across Dublin, Cork, Limerick Galway and Waterford. In Dublin, all 12 Core Bus Corridor Schemes have received planning permission with six subject to legal challenges. Contracts have been awarded to both the Liffey Valley to the City Centre and Ballymun-Finglas to the City Centre schemes, with those two schemes to enter heavy construction this year.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Departmental Projects
Ceisteanna (382)
John Paul O'Shea
Ceist:382. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a list of all capital projects including road, public transport, and active travel infrastructure projects delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under their aegis (including the NTA, TII, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann), which have been completed on time and within budget in Cork North-West in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34724/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport I hold overall policy responsibility for transport projects across the sector, however the actual delivery of those projects is generally managed by the relevant agency directly. Additionally, capital projects can vary in scale, consisting of multiple small deliverables across several regions, in addition to the major single-deliverable projects such as Metrolink or a major bypass for example.
As a result, to provide the information requested by the Deputy I must both refer the Deputy to the Government's coordinated Project 2040 tracker for major regional projects for information, as well as refer the Deputy's question to the agencies responsible for delivery in the Cork North-West Constituency.
The Project 2040 tracker is publicly available via gov.ie/2040 and provides both a searchable map and annual reports on progress across the entire NDP and Project 2040 programmes.
For deliverables which are not specifically captured within the reporting on Project 2040, I will refer the Deputy's question to TII, the NTA, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann for consideration and answer. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
National Transport Authority
Ceisteanna (383)
Roderic O'Gorman
Ceist:383. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport to contact the NTA to seek an update on a broken real time monitor on Kildare Street (Stop 747) which has been broken for over two months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34756/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
National Transport Authority
Ceisteanna (384)
Roderic O'Gorman
Ceist:384. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport is he aware that real time bus monitors around the country, which are currently connected to local authority public lighting networks, are now having to be disconnected from local authority public lighting networks and left non-functioning until the National Transport Authority have been able to secure a new connection from ESB Networks; the legislative basis for having to disconnect these monitors from the local authority public lighting network; the number of real time monitors that will have to be disconnected and then re-connected; the reconnection fee each time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34757/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision of bus stops, shelters and related displays nationally.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply.
Pending this detailed response, I note the commitments in the Programme for Government to ensure that public transport operators provide safe and accessible access for all passengers, and to work with local authorities and national bodies to improve public transport options and infrastructure.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders
Bus Services
Ceisteanna (385)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:385. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Transport his plans for the local link to include Churchill, County Kerry on route 278; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34787/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As 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 including the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan and TFI Local Link services. 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.
Departmental Projects
Ceisteanna (386)
Grace Boland
Ceist:386. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a list of all capital projects including road, public transport, and active travel infrastructure projects delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under their aegis (including the NTA, TII, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann), which have been completed on time and within budget in Fingal in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34810/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport I hold overall policy responsibility for transport projects across the sector, however the actual delivery of those projects is generally managed by the relevant agency directly. Additionally, capital projects can vary in scale, consisting of multiple small deliverables across several regions, in addition to the major single-deliverable projects such as Metrolink or a major bypass for example.
As a result, to provide the information requested by the Deputy I refer the Deputy to the Government's coordinated Project 2040 tracker for major regional projects for information, as well as refer the Deputy's question to the agencies responsible for delivery in the Fingal area.
The Project 2040 tracker is publicly available via gov.ie/2040 and provides both a searchable map and annual reports on progress across the entire NDP and Project 2040 programmes.
For deliverables which are not specifically captured within the reporting on Project 2040, I will refer the Deputy's question to TII, the NTA, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann for consideration and answer. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a response within 10 working days.
The referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Rail Network
Ceisteanna (387)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:387. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of safety concerns raised by rail passengers regarding the short notice given for train departures from distant platforms, including platforms seven and eight, where passengers are often given as little as ten minutes to board for the Dublin to Westport train; the extent to which this results in passengers running through stations, creating safety risks, particularly for older people and those with mobility difficulties; whether Irish Rail has been instructed to review boarding times and platform allocation practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34794/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister of State, I have responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Rail Network
Ceisteanna (388)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:388. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that passenger information systems in rail stations provide sufficient advance notice and visibility for all users, particularly older passengers; whether consideration will be given to increasing the length of time departure notices remain on display screens and improving the clarity of announcements; what the current time length is on the notice boards pre departure for the trains from Westport to Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34795/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Rail Network
Ceisteanna (389)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:389. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that there is no access to food or drinking water on certain train platforms and services; whether Irish Rail has plans to provide vending machines or drinking water taps on the trains from Westport to Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34796/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister of State, I have responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport.
The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Iarnród Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Question No. 390 answered with Question No. 308.
Departmental Schemes
Ceisteanna (391, 392)
Michael Collins
Ceist:391. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will address the exclusion of feed mill operators and other own account transport operators within the agricultural supply chain from the road transport support scheme; if he will consider extending eligibility to businesses that operate HGV fleets for the delivery of essential agricultural inputs but do not operate "for hire or reward"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34910/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMichael Collins
Ceist:392. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will undertake an urgent review of the eligibility criteria for the road transport support scheme to ensure that businesses providing essential services to the agricultural sector, such as feed mills, fertiliser suppliers and agricultural merchants, are not unintentionally excluded from fuel support measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34911/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 392 together.
The Department of Transport is currently finalising the operation of the Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS). The scheme was brought to Cabinet on Tuesday, 28 April and announced at a press conference on Wednesday, 29 April.
I can confirm that the Scheme will be available to both licensed road haulage operators and the own account sector, in respect of certain heavy goods vehicles (over 3,500kg in laden weight) where the vehicle is used in the haulage business (the carriage of goods by road).
Licenced road passenger operators, subject to certain criteria, will also be eligible for support under the Scheme.
My Department is developing an electronic application and processing system to facilitate payments under the RTSS. The scheme will open for applications shortly and payments will be backdated to 01 March 2026. Further details will be announced as soon as possible.
Separately, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is developing a comprehensive Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme to assist farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers facing increased costs in marked gas oil (green diesel).
Question No. 392 answered with Question No. 391.
Departmental Schemes
Ceisteanna (393)
Michael Collins
Ceist:393. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider amending the road transport support scheme to include own account operators who incur the same fuel costs as licensed hauliers and who provide essential services to primary producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34912/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Department of Transport is currently finalising the operation of the Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS). The Scheme was brought to Cabinet on Tuesday, 28 April and announced at a press conference on Wednesday, 29 April. Details of how to apply for the scheme will be made available as soon as possible.
I can confirm that the Scheme will be available to both licensed road haulage operators and the own account sector, in respect of certain heavy goods vehicles (over 3,500kg in laden weight) where the vehicle is used in the haulage business (the carriage of goods by road).
Licenced road passenger operators, subject to certain criteria, may also be eligible for support under the RTSS.
The Department of Transport is developing an electronic application and processing system to facilitate payments under the RTSS. The Scheme will open for applications shortly and payments will be backdated to 01 March 2026. Further details will be announced as soon as possible.
Bus Services
Ceisteanna (394, 396)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:394. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the current estimated cost of the Tivoli bus depot; the length of time it will be used for; and the timeline for opening it. [34920/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThomas Gould
Ceist:396. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the reason the Tivoli depot has been delayed. [34922/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 396 together.
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects Cork.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply.
Pending this detailed response, I note BusConnects is the NTA’s plan to greatly improve bus services in all five of our cities. It is a key part of the Government's policies to improve public transport and address climate change.
In October 2025 Cabinet approval was secured for BusConnects Cork, which includes the Tivoli bus depot. With that decision, the Government issued Approval Gate 1 approval in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines, allowing the three Sustainable Transport Corridor schemes to enter the planning system. These schemes will provide for a total of 11 Sustainable Transport Corridors.
In June 2022, following public consultation, the new BusConnects Cork network was published. It aims to provide an increase of over 50% in bus services across the city. Planning for the implementation of the new bus network has commenced and it is expected that the new network will be implemented on a phased basis in the coming years. Implementation will be subject to funding and resources available.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Bus Services
Ceisteanna (395)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:395. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the number of second hand buses transferred to Cork in 2026 and 2025 respectively. [34921/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.
In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Question No. 396 answered with Question No. 394.
Electric Vehicles
Ceisteanna (397)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:397. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport when Cork will have electric bus charging infrastructure. [34923/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision and upgrade of public bus fleets and bus depots.
Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 working days.
Pending a more detailed response, I note that electric buses are currently in operation in the urban public transport fleets in Dublin, Limerick and Athlone. There have been delays to the delivery of electric charging infrastructure to bus depots around Dublin, which has in turn prevented the ability of operators to absorb electric buses into their fleet. However, I am pleased to announce that because of the recent progress made in installing electric charging guns in depots, these buses will exit storage in the coming months. Moreover, the NTA will shortly finalise a procurement framework with suppliers of bus charging infrastructure to expedite future installations across the country.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
National Car Test
Ceisteanna (398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 405, 406)
Paul Lawless
Ceist:398. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if the National Car Testing Service operates under any pass or fail rate targets or key performance indicators linked to test outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35000/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:399. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of NCT pass and fail rates on a monthly basis for each of the last three years, disaggregated by test centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35001/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:400. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of NCT pass and fail rates by day of the month for each of the last three years, disaggregated by test centre, in order to establish whether fail rates are higher at particular points in the monthly cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35002/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:401. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or the Road Safety Authority has analysed whether NCT fail rates vary by time of month or time of year in a statistically significant way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35003/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:402. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if the contract between the State and (details supplied) the company operating the National Car Testing Service, contains any provisions governing technician pay structures, bonus schemes, or performance-related pay linked to test outcomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35004/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:403. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if there is any independent oversight mechanism in place to ensure that the company operating the NCT system are not incentivised to fail vehicles in order to generate retest revenue for the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35005/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:405. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport when the current NCT operating contract with a company (details supplied) was last reviewed; the oversight arrangements in place to ensure compliance with that contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35007/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPaul Lawless
Ceist:406. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if the Road Safety Authority conducts any audits of NCT test centres to ensure consistency and impartiality in test outcomes across centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35008/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 403, 405 and 406 together.
Under the Road Safety Authority Act 2006, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has statutory responsibility for the operation, oversight, quality assurance and delivery of the National Car Testing (NCT) service. As Minister, I have no function in respect of operational or contractual matters.
The RSA outsources the operation of the NCT service to Applus, a third party provider, and the Authority exercises a supervisory role to ensure the service is provided in line with contractual commitments.
The service is subject to a regime of internal and external audits by the RSA Training & Standards Team, assisted by the Supervision Services Contractor and the Technical Inspection Services Provider to monitor adherence to key performance indicators and service level agreements. These external audit and assurance contractors are independent from the service delivery contractor.
Given the RSA's responsibility in this matter, I have referred the Deputy’s questions to the RSA for direct response. Please contact my office if a reply is not received within ten days.
A referred reply was forwarded to the Deputy under Standing Orders.
Question No. 399 answered with Question No. 398.
Question No. 400 answered with Question No. 398.