Parliamentary questions

248. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport the current status of a compulsory purchase order for the bus corridor scheme in Dublin 12 (details supplied); the date of commencement and timeline for the CPO process and associated construction works; the compensation arrangements for land acquisition; whether affected homes will be provided with a front driveway given the loss of o…

249. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the progression of plans to develop a rail spur to Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15762/26]

250. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport in respect of the 2026 funding allocation of €500,000 towards the N2 Ardee to South of Castleblaney Bypass, for 2026, the stage that this will bring the project to; the further stages to be completed; the current estimated date for final completion of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15763/26]

251. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Transport in respect of the 2026 funding allocation of €1,200,000 towards the N2 Clontibret to the Border road scheme, the stage that this will bring the project to; the further stages to be completed; the current estimated date for final completion of this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15764/26]

252. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport whether BusConnects has a target average speed for bus routes during peak commuter hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15817/26]

253. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the purpose of the €2 million allocation towards the Athenry relief road project in the recent road allocations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15830/26]

254. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport the measures currently being considered in the context of reform of the local area hackney licence scheme; if a working group within his Department has been established or has considered the matter; if so, the dates in which the relevant body has met and discussed the matter; the timeframe he would envisage for the completion of conside…

255. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Transport if he will commit to a national taxi strategy to address key issues facing the taxi industry, including supply and barriers to new entrants; the timeframe he would envisage for the completion of such an exercise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15870/26]

256. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide significant emergency funding for Carlow and Kilkenny to repair and reconstruct roads damaged by recent flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15942/26]

257. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Transport the details of active travel initiatives funded by the National Transport Authority in Kilkenny since 2020; the initial cost estimate for each project; the outturn cost of each project; and for those still unfinished, the latest cost projection, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15943/26]

258. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Transport the details of active travel initiatives funded by the National Transport Authority in Carlow since 2020; the initial cost estimate for each project; the outturn cost of each project; and for those still unfinished, the latest cost projection, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15944/26]

259. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether any post-implementation review has been conducted by his Department of the Road Traffic Act 2024 provisions relating to graduated penalty points; whether an impact assessment was undertaken prior to enactment regarding proportionality and licence disqualification risk; and if he will publish any such assessment. [16041/26]

260. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department conducted modelling or analysis on the projected increase in licence disqualifications arising from the interaction between reduced statutory speed limits and the graduated penalty points framework; and if he will provide details of same. [16042/26]

261. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether consideration has been given to introducing a lower-tier administrative margin for minor excess speeding of 1–5 km/h above the posted limit, including the option of warnings or reduced penalty points; and if he will outline the policy position of his Department on such a tier. [16043/26]

262. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the policy rationale for permitting the accumulation of multiple sets of penalty points arising from a single incident under the Road Traffic Act 2024; whether any cap on cumulative points from a single roadside detection was considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16044/26]

263. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has examined the road safety regimes of other EU Member States that differentiate penalty thresholds by road type, including urban, rural and motorway classifications; whether any comparative analysis was undertaken prior to introducing the current graduated system; and if he will publish any such analysis. [16045/26]

264. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether any review has been initiated by his Department into the proportionality of mandatory disqualification periods under roadside drug testing legislation where no observable impairment is recorded; and whether amendments to incorporate impairment-based assessment or judicial discretion are under consideration. [16046/26]

265. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has examined the introduction of accredited driver awareness or rehabilitation programmes as an alternative to penalty points for minor offences; and if he will outline any proposals in this regard. [16047/26]

266. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department requires the National Transport Authority to collect and report vandalism data for public transport infrastructure on a county-by-county or local authority basis; if not, the policy rationale for permitting exclusively national-level reporting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16048/26]

267. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the total annual expenditure incurred by the National Transport Authority in each of the past five years in respect of vandalism-related repair and replacement costs for bus shelters; whether this expenditure is reported to his Department in aggregated or disaggregated form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16049/26]

268. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether key performance indicators or contractual provisions within the national bus shelter contract include targets relating to vandalism frequency, asset durability, or cost containment; and if he will provide details of any such oversight mechanisms. [16050/26]

269. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has undertaken or commissioned any cost-benefit analysis comparing standard laminated glass panels with alternative vandal-resistant materials for bus shelters; and if he will outline the conclusions of any such analysis. [16051/26]

270. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether local authorities are provided with incident-level or location-specific data in respect of vandalism to bus shelters within their administrative areas; and if not, whether the Minister considers the absence of such local reporting consistent with transparency and value-for-money principles. [16052/26]

271. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the entire funding drawn down and spent by Galway City Council from the NTA for the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme in 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16058/26]

272. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the entire funding drawn down and spent by Galway County Council from the NTA for the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme in 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16059/26]