Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
243. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 478 of 9 June 2026, the process for penalising a PSO operator where a PSO route does not meet the required standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46712/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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.
The performance of all public transport operators is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators. These contractual arrangements allow for not just the monitoring of performance by the NTA and the publication by it of annual performance reports, but importantly, the contracts also allow for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standard.
For example, if a bus service doesn’t operate due to circumstances within the operator’s control, a deduction is applied equivalent to the cost of the cancelled service.
My Department is working closely with the NTA to try to address issues relating to reliability and frequency through initiatives such as the Public Transport Workforce Taskforce which aims to address recruitment challenges for drivers and mechanics; and planned improvements to the vehicle location system under Next Generation AVL, which will enhance the accuracy of real-time passenger information.
We remain fully committed to delivering a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, and affordable for everyone.
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.
