Grace Boland

749. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether funding has been allocated to date for the establishment and operation of a transport security force; the amounts allocated, if any, in each year since the publication of the Programme for Government; the funding provided for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1917/26]

750. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether the proposed powers, functions and operational remit of the transport security force have been determined, including whether members of the force will have enforcement or arrest powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1918/26]

751. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the extent of consultation undertaken with transport operators, transport workers, trade unions, passenger representative groups and An Garda Síochána in relation to the establishment of a transport security force; the dates of such consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1919/26]

752. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the interim measures which are currently in place to protect passengers and staff pending the establishment of a transport security force in light of ongoing reports of antisocial behaviour on public transport and concerns raised by transport workers regarding personal safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1920/26]

753. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether alternative models to a transport security force have been examined, including the establishment of a dedicated public transport policing unit within An Garda Síochána; whether any cost benefit or effectiveness analysis has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1923/26]

754. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the total number of new DART carriages ordered to date under the DART programme, including the most recent order announced in December 2025, the total capital investment committed, and the breakdown of carriages by order batch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1924/26]

755. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the detailed timeline for the manufacture, delivery, testing, commissioning and passenger deployment of the third order of DART carriages announced in December 2025; the expected dates for entry into service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1925/26]

756. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the extent to which the new DART carriages will increase overall passenger capacity on the network, including any projected increase in peak hour capacity once all ordered carriages are in service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1929/26]

757. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the contingency arrangements that are in place in the event of delays to the delivery or commissioning of the new DART carriages, including measures to maintain service reliability while older carriages are being replaced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1930/26]

758. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the expected operational lifespan of the new DART carriages and the planned timetable for the phased withdrawal of the original DART fleet currently in service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1931/26]

759. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the TFI Anseo pilot programme, including which service areas it is operating in (such as Achill, Killarney and Limerick) and the latest patronage figures and utilisation data collected to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1932/26]

760. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport when the National Transport Authority expects to conclude the TFI Anseo pilot, including the planned end date for all current pilot areas, and whether any interim evaluations or reporting milestones have been defined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1933/26]

761. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport to provide details of the criteria and evaluation framework the NTA is using to assess the outcomes of the TFI Anseo pilot, including the key performance indicators that will determine whether the service is expanded or mainstreamed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1934/26]

762. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether the Government or the NTA plans to expand the TFI Anseo smart demand-responsive transport model to additional urban or rural areas, including North County Dublin or other Greater Dublin Area communities; and if so, to set out any timelines and priority criteria for expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1935/26]

763. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether the NTA or Transport for Ireland has identified funding requirements and sources for scaling up the TFI Anseo service beyond the pilot phase, including any projected costings for a wider roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1936/26]

764. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport to clarify how the NTA intends to ensure integration of TFI Anseo with existing public transport services such as Local Link, Bus Éireann and Dublin Area routes, including fare integration and connections to fixed-route services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1937/26]

765. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether there are plans to publish detailed passenger satisfaction and accessibility data specific to the TFI Anseo pilot, including feedback on service hours, booking ease, coverage and accessibility for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1938/26]

766. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport when the final funding distribution to the NTA under the Sectoral Investment Plan will be confirmed in full, and to set out the expected timeline thereafter for the NTA to publish its detailed investment plan covering all public transport projects within its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1940/26]

767. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the performance metrics and reporting arrangements by which the NTA will track and report progress on the delivery of major transport programmes under the National Development Plan between 2026 and 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1941/26]

768. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport to clarify the way in which community engagement and stakeholder consultation will be integrated into the delivery process for major NTA-led projects within the Sectoral Investment Plan; the mechanisms that are in place to ensure local inputs are considered throughout project development and delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1942/26]

769. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport whether additional detail can be provided on the NTA's strategic priorities for public transport investment over the period to 2030, specifically on the way these align with targets on sustainability, modal shift, accessibility and climate commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1943/26]

770. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the current status of work to improve accessibility of public transport services for persons with disabilities, including planned upgrades to stations, vehicles and service information systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1944/26]

771. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport to provide a timeline for the completion of accessibility upgrades on train station platforms, bus stops and other public transport infrastructure nationwide, including specific targets for Dublin and North County Dublin localities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1945/26]

772. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the measures in place to ensure consistent provision of real-time accessible travel information (audio, visual and tactile) across all modes of public transport for persons with sensory or cognitive disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1946/26]

773. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the way the National Transport Authority and transport operators are ensuring that training for staff interacting with passengers with disabilities (including frontline drivers and customer service personnel) is standardised and implemented across all services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1947/26]