Search the record

Portarlington and Ballybrophy. That needs to be addressed. We need basic weather shelters at railway stations and proper toilet facilities. Packed trains and carriages need to be taken into account and dealt with. We need extra carriages. Iarnród Éireann told me all its rolling stock is in full … that is good, but new carriages are promised and that needs to happen. I am appealing to the Minister to halt this 15% increase in public transport fees, to put on more services and in the case of Laois to put on an 11 p.m. train from Heuston

raised this with the NTA last week and was told that all available carriages were in use at peak times, but I have a number of questions in relation to this and would appreciate clear answers to them for the people who have to travel on these overcrowded … there been no forward planning and how have we ended up in a situation where we do not have additional rail carriages? When are we going to have additional carriages on the trains going into Galway? I want a clear timeline on this because the Minister of State

Claremorris, which is something he supports, and we need to get on with that. Next year, 2027, is when we will have additional carriages becoming available. The NTA is working with Irish Rail and the latter has been looking at other places across the world but it cannot … just get carriages from some other place because the railway lines themselves may be of different configuration. It is not like getting a car from some place and putting it on the line. There is a lot more to it than that and the carriages have

takes longer to get to Dublin by train than it took 40 years ago, when I started using the service. There are fewer carriages, carriages are cramped, toilets in stations are often not open, there has been no catering service for years and, as I said, the journey … those who use the Rosslare, Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin rail line are forced to stand the entire journey to Dublin, often in between carriages. This is absolutely shocking in 2026. Why would we ask passengers who board in Gorey, Arklow, Rathdrum and Wicklow and are squashed like sardines

accept the response that nothing is going to be done here in the short term. We are told we have to wait for carriages, with very vague assurances as to when they are going to become available. I have been contacted in relation to people becoming unwell … when the rail services going in and out of Galway specifically, and particularly that one arriving at 8.10 a.m., will have additional carriages? Can we get a clear time on that? How we have ended up in this situation where we do not have additional rail carriages

raise with the Tánaiste today the urgent need for additional carriages and hourly train services on the Waterford to Dublin line, which runs through my hometown of Athy. I have been raising this issue for the last number of years and I just want to read … Waterford to Heuston service. She said there were 18 people standing in the gap by the doors on the second-last carriage this morning. Two of them were retired people, very unsteady on their feet, who kept stumbling and were struggling to hold onto the train

Midleton-Cork rail line is reaching farcical levels. For a prolonged period, peak-time services have been left operating with just two carriages. This morning, a constituent told me the train was again dangerously overcrowded, with the driver on one journey having to get out to stop commuters … been raising this issue over the past year. Irish Rail accepts that peak-time services are overcrowded but says there are no spare carriages available. The Minister's own figures show Ireland collected €32.9 billion in corporation tax last year. Why is his Department so tight-fisted with

price of it. Every day, every Member of this House hears stories about mothers with prams and elderly commuters left standing between carriages. In my own county of Cork, I receive a significant number of emails from commuters on the Midleton and Cobh lines who are dealing with … carriage trains that are packed to the rafters. This is far from encouraging people on board. State services are driving them away. I want to speak specifically about school transport. School transport, which of course is related to this issue, has increased its fees on parents

student in Galway. She fainted on the early train to Galway city from Athenry because it was so crammed. There were only two carriages and it was absolutely wedged. This is a daily occurrence for commuters in Galway. It needs to be tackled. I know there are capacity … constraints across the country for rail, but the new carriages cannot come quickly enough for the people who are commuting daily. The trains are only going to get stuffier and hotter over the winter months. The next practical step that could be taken relates to towns like Athenry

Galway. The second question the Deputy asked was why this has arisen. It has arisen because when one orders new carriages it takes about five years to get them manufactured and delivered to one's specification. That is the timeline. The carriages were ordered four or five years

Minister but there is not an awful lot that is new in what he said. Essentially, the response with regard to new carriages is that when we put new carriages on some of the other lines, the hand-me-downs may be passed on to the Rosslare rail

hear from commuters in Newbridge, Kildare town, Athy and Monasterevin about overcrowded trains, with dozens of passengers regularly forced to stand in carriages. We need more capacity i gCill Dara. We need earlier morning services and later evening services for those returning from work, events and concerts

network. Notwithstanding this, I am pleased to note that, as part of the DART+ programme, three orders delivering a total of 285 new carriages have been placed so far. When the first and second orders start entering service next year, this will allow for the redeployment of existing

Just to reiterate, I did say that there will be additional carriages available in 2027. That is the first thing I said to the Deputy

thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the need for additional train carriage capacity serving his hometown of Athy on that Waterford to Dublin line. I thank Eimear for contacting Deputy Wall and providing that live lived experience from a train service this morning. I will certainly

this country. Surely it is not beyond us to provide a better facility for wheelchair users. I acknowledge that there are new DART carriages coming, but they are up to two years away. They will facilitate ease of access, but wheelchair users who are using Bus Éireann

Briefly, another good example is the new infrastructure, as the Deputy rightly referenced, namely the DART+ fleet, which will arrive next year. Each carriage will have an automatic sliding doorstep that will deploy every time the doors open. This will reduce the platform gap. The Deputy

network. Notwithstanding this, I am pleased to note that as part of the DART+ programme, three orders delivering a total of 285 new carriages have been placed so far. When the first and second orders start entering service in 2027 and 2028, respectively, this will allow the redeployment

have a situation whereby they will be asked to pay more. They are not getting any extra services; not an additional carriage will be added. The Government was very clear about that. They will get nothing extra but will pay more for the joy of squashing onto overcrowded

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport whether his Department has a strategy for the purchase of additional train carriages over the next number of years; and if such a strategy exists to outline the number of carriages expected to be delivered by year, in tabular

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the rollout of new DART carriages; and the additional capacity each individual carriage provides. [67544/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport to consider adding an additional carriage on the M3 Parkway commuter train route service at peak times. [69136/26

accepts this shows the need for additional capacity and if he would make correspondence with Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail to ensure additional carriages would be made available to ensure public safety. [67610/26

arriving into and departing Galway Train Station; if they have engaged with rail operators from other jurisdictions with a view to securing additional carriages on a temporary basis to help alleviate this problem; if any other short term solutions have been considered to address ongoing capacity issues

average passenger numbers on that service; the measures being considered to increase capacity in the short term, including the provision of additional carriages (details supplied). [67663/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport his views regarding the new DART carriages that are coming on stream; whether they are fully wheelchair accessible without the need for a separate ramp to be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Transport if Irish Rail has considered increasing capacity on the 8am train service from Oranmore to Galway through the provision of an additional carriage or longer train sets; if discussions have taken place regarding such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65717/26

Connolly; the steps that are being taken to increase capacity on this line; and if he will outline the safe capacity level for carriages. [65698/26

Minister for Transport his current plan for the introduction of legislation to ensure the welfare of horses being used to provide horse-drawn carriage services for tourists in Dublin city centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60974/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport the timeline for the introduction of legislation regulating horse-drawn carriages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60968/26

qualifying conditions for the seafarers' allowance, which as currently drafted are confined to seafarers employed on EU-registered vessels used solely for the carriage of passengers or cargo for reward, so as to reflect the realities of contemporary maritime employment including crew serving on yachts