Questions

266. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the reason the agreed pension increases for retired CIÉ pensioners have not yet been paid, given that Ministerial approval for the revised pension arrangements was reportedly granted in June 2026; whether the payment of these increases is contingent on the signing of the required Statutory Instrument; if so, the specific legal basis for this requirement; and t…

267. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether pensioners will receive arrears of the pension increases due from the date on which the agreement was approved by members in 2025; if not, the basis on which arrears are being excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73552/26]

268. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the current status of the Statutory Instrument required to implement the agreed reforms to the CIÉ pension scheme; when he expects the Statutory Instrument to be signed and commenced; the reason for the delay in completing the process; and when approximately 2,000 affected CIÉ pensioners can expect to receive the pension increas…

270. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether the potential role of Sligo port in supporting offshore wind operations and maintenance activities has been considered as part of an assessment of the western rail corridor, beyond Claremorris. [73448/26]

271. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department intends to preserve the existing rail alignment between Collooney and Claremorris so as not to prejudice the possible future restoration of rail services along the western rail corridor to Sligo. [73450/26]

272. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has undertaken, or intends to undertake, an assessment of the freight, logistics and port connectivity opportunities that could arise from completion of the western rail corridor to Sligo, including potential links with Shannon Foynes port and the port of Waterford. [73451/26]

273. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport in light of recent statements (details supplied) regarding the economic and freight benefits of expanded rail connectivity along the western seaboard, whether he will reconsider the long-term case for completion of the western rail corridor to Sligo. [73453/26]

79. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he has assessed the impact of reduced competition and service availability on students and other regular commuters travelling between Mayo and Galway, including increases in weekly travel costs and reports of passengers being unable to obtain seats; and if he will outline any measures being considered to improve affordability and service frequency on this ro…

80. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the reduced public bus services operating between Claremorris/Ballina and Galway following the withdrawal of Expressway Route 52; the actions being taken to ensure adequate public transport capacity on this corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71527/26]

94. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has examined the barriers faced by students from the Erris region of County Mayo in accessing third-level education due to the lack of direct public transport services to major education centres including Galway and Limerick: and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70455/26]

126. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the number of collisions involving trains in Ireland in each of the past ten years. [67174/26]

218. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the protocols which are in place when a train is late departing its departure station; the way in which the information regarding the delay is communicated to the various stations where that train will subsequently be late arriving and to the other trains using the same line, and to the mechanisms operating level crossings around the country; and if he will ma…

248. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if driving licence fees, learner permit fees, or driving test fees are waived, reduced, or paid on an applicant's behalf by his Department, the Road Safety Authority, or any other State body for asylum seekers or refugees; if so, the legal or administrative basis for this; the annual cost in each year since asylum seekers became eligible to apply for a driving…

249. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the number of driving licence and/or learner permit applications received nationally from asylum seekers and refugees in each of the years 2022 and to date in 2026; the number of those applications approved, refused, or still pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67732/26]

250. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the average driving test waiting time at each Road Safety Authority driving test centre nationally, for each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, identifying the centre with the highest and the centre with the lowest waiting time in each of those years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67731/26]

251. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide, in tabular format, the number of driving licence and learner permit applications processed at each National Driver Licence Service centre nationally, broken down by application type (for example first learner permit, licence renewal, exchange of a foreign licence, and replacement of a lost or stolen licence), for each of the years 2022, 202…

261. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with Mayo County Council regarding traffic congestion issues in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, particularly at the Clare Street junction; whether consideration has been given to undertaking a feasibility assessment for the installation of traffic lights at this location; whether any traffic counts or traffic management reviews are planned for Ball…

257. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he will request Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission to carry out an urgent review of the crossing at Kiltybo, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo following the fatal collision between a train and a car at the crossing on 3 September 2026; if he will consider having the existing crossing replaced with a fully automated barrier crossing with appropriate wa…

258. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of concerns raised by residents of Lacken, County Mayo regarding increased aircraft noise and reports of low-flying aircraft since 16 August 2026; whether any noise impact assessment has been conducted in respect of the area; if the Irish Aviation Authority has received complaints relating to aircraft noise over Lacken; and the measures that can…

259. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the number of flights that have crossed over or in the immediate vicinity of Lacken, County Mayo since 16 August 2026; the daily and weekly average number of flights recorded during this period; whether the Irish Aviation Authority has undertaken any monitoring of air traffic movements in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65083/26]

260. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the reason a number of flight routes were amended from 16 August 2026 resulting in aircraft operating over the village of Lacken, County Mayo; whether these changes are temporary or permanent in nature; which authority approved the amendments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65081/26]

297. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the number of daily services in each direction on the Ballina to Galway corridor that the National Transport Authority determined would be required following the withdrawal of Expressway Route 52; whether the authority is satisfied that the current level of service on the corridor meets the needs identified in its determination report; and if he will make a st…

298. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport whether the National Transport Authority has assessed passenger demand and capacity on the Ballina to Galway corridor since the withdrawal of Expressway Route 52 on 24 May 2026; whether reports of passengers being unable to board services due to capacity constraints have been examined; and the measures planned to increase capacity and service frequency on the …

330. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Rail plans to replace user-operated gated level crossings with automatic barriers, bridges, or other grade separated solutions and if he will provide a timeline for any proposed works, particularly at crossings in County Mayo. [65584/26]

331. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the number of user-operated railway crossings currently in operation on the national rail network; the number identified as high risk by Irish Rail; and the measures being taken to improve safety at these locations. [65581/26]