Darragh O'Brien

I have just told the Deputy what we are doing, and I did not say that what has happened up to now is unacceptable. I said we need to do more. Anyone will understand that when you are bringing in new infrastructure such as this, you are not going to do it in a year. That is obvious. You have a plan but you also have to know how to pay for it, and I have highlighted the contradiction in the stance o…

I will leave that as it is. People will make up their own minds about it. Let us look at the facts. In 2020, the number of available charging points was about 1,700. It was 2,400 as of January 2024, and that will increase further this year, although I do not yet have those numbers. I am very serious about improving the infrastructure throughout the country. We will do that and we are concluding t…

The vast majority of public service obligation bus services are provided by State operators through what are known as direct award contracts. Remaining routes are run by operators awarded a contract following a competitive tendering process. Sometimes those routes are operated by a State operator and sometimes they are operated by a private operator. This mix of contract award processes is in acco…

The Deputy has the answer, in that a very severe fine was levied. Public transport is not disimproving. We need to ensure punctuality. We have a growing population. There are developments all over the country that need to be serviced by the bus network. This year, €658 million has been provided for the PSO, up from €613 million the year before. We have seen a significant reduction in public trans…

There were issues on certain routes in the past few weeks and I publicly stated they were not acceptable. I use this opportunity to restate to bus operators that paying customers - all customers indeed because many do not have to pay now due to the expansion of free travel - expect a reliable services. In many instances, that is exactly what they get. We will continue the investment in our bus fl…

I am aware of the poor performance issues on certain routes operated by Go-Ahead in the greater Dublin area. I highlighted this myself. It was brought to my attention by many commuters. As the Deputy knows, public transport service obligations are provided by both State and commercial operators under contract with the National Transport Authority. I assure the Deputy that the performance of all t…

I have impressed on the NTA the real importance of being customer and user focused. A lot of time is spent, and rightly so, on expanding our bus network and investing in infrastructure. However, existing routes need to be supported. I agree with the Deputy. The passenger or customer experience is critical to ensuring other people use public transport. Thankfully, because of the work done by the pr…

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to update him on this. It was a Green Party commitment in its manifesto. It was a Fianna Fáil commitment as well that we have a transport security force and transport police supported by colleagues in the programme for Government. Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the regional Independents have agreed that measure, and it is an important step forward that …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht na ceiste tábhachtaí faoi shábháilteacht phaisinéirí ar iompar poiblí. As he will be acutely aware, antisocial behaviour is a broad societal issue to which public transport is unfortunately not immune. I have witnessed, as the Deputy will have in talking to his constituents, that this is a matter that really does need to be addressed. It is those passengers…

I was looking at the previous safety report and I was taken by the fact that 84% of respondents who were asked said that they felt safe on public transport. I am not disputing the numbers but I was quite surprised by that. It depends on the route. I use public transport. I am in the Dublin commuter zone. There are many other things that need to be done. On DART stations, I was pleased to see that …

The training to secure a licence for a vehicle such as that is standardised and obviously involves road testing and so on. I have not had any complaints about different driving styles across Bus Átha Cliath, Go-Ahead Ireland or Bus Éireann, but that is obviously the experience the Deputy's constituent had. On safety, Dublin Bus took the bull by the horns in running its pilot programme. We have e…

I appreciate the question. The Government’s position on this issue is clear – we look forward to delivering improved transport and an improved transport network for the people of Waterford, and to continue that over the coming years. In the city area, those improvements will be introduced in line with the Waterford metropolitan area transport strategy, which sets out a plan-led, evidence-informed…

The Deputy is correct; we have discussed this privately. A number of Deputies are interested in this important project. In 2024, approximately €4.8 million was allocated to Waterford City and County Council, under the national roads network, for national roads in Waterford. Two major road projects of importance in Waterford are in the NDP, namely, the N24 and the N25, which is Waterford to Glenmor…

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí. I am aware of how important this is. We will have national roads announcements in the coming weeks. I mentioned €4.8 million was allocated in 2024. Just two weeks ago, on 14 February, €23.6 million was also allocated to Waterford as part of the regional and local roads allocations. I am aware of the importance of the N25 and the N24, which Deputy McGrath mentione…

I thank the Deputy very much. I am aware that the progression of this project is of great interest to him and the local community. Indeed, I visited the area with him not so long ago and met community groups. The Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the NDP. While the greater portion of this funding is to become ava…

I do. I spent a fair bit of time with the Deputy in the region, including in Youghal and Castlemartyr. I met community groups too. I absolutely see the need for that. During the middle of the day, outside rush hour, you can see the level of traffic moving through. Colleagues and I have paid very particular attention to the submission I have received. I will be reviewing it. The Deputy has advocate…

Earlier, when answering other questions, both the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I were talking about the genuine importance of delivery during the term of this Government. We have many plans and strategies. We have seen improvements in our road network but the focus has got to be on delivering on projects. The point the Deputy made on multi-annual funding for roads is one I agree with. It…

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht a chomhghairdis. I thank the Deputy for the question. This has long been a matter of concern to him and the people of Tipperary, particularly the residents of Tipperary town and those who use the N24. This project forms part of a 35 km improvement scheme for the N24 between Cahir in County Tipperary and Limerick Junction. The proposed project would in…

I thank the Deputy. He has strongly and passionately argued for this project. We will engage with TII around the feasibility of fast-tracking elements of the project, particularly the Tipperary town bypass. Other elements will require planning permission and to go through the process. We are committed to it, as the Deputy is. It will make a massive difference to residents in the area. If we can by…

Aontaím le gach rud a bhí á rá ag an Teachta. Tuigim go bhfuil an scéim seo an-tábhachtach ar fad ar son na ndaoine i dTiobraid Árann. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuig an Teachta go luath nuair a bheidh nuacht nua agam faoi sin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé ábalta dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ar son na ndaoine i dTiobraid Árann, go háirithe leis na bóithre. Caithfidh mé bualadh le TII agus an chomhairle contae …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Daly agus lena chomhghleacaithe i Sinn Féin as an rún atá á phlé againn. I welcome the opportunity to address the House and update it on the national driver testing service. I acknowledge the concerns that have been raised by Deputies. I also note the lack of some constructive points on what we would do. To leave that aside, it is an issue and unquestionably waiti…

It is not.

It is done on a case-by-case basis.

My response will be six minutes for three questions. I asked about this group. It is the first time I have seen priority questions grouped. We queried that yesterday and apparently it is appropriate. We might work that out post this round of questions.

I thank the Deputy for this important question. I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 73 and 75 together. Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-State under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, established under the Turf Development Act 1998. Bord na Móna is a corporate body and a separate legal entity to the Department, as Members will know. The board and managem…