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Arklow or Gorey to Dublin there is a maximum of six services on any day and we are served by the worst rail carriages in the country. When I raised this recently with Iarnród Éireann, the promise for improving carriages was that, when it puts … carriages on all the other tracks, it will give whatever is left over to Rosslare. The problem is we are not seeing improvements to the M11. I raised this when Eamon Ryan was Minister for Transport. The M11 is the spine that runs through Wicklow and Wexford

sovereign territory of a state without that state's permission. That provision is implemented in Irish law in the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989. Under these orders, the carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil … exemption that permits it. From October 2023 to date, no applications have been received and no exemptions have been granted for the carriage of munitions of war to any point in Israel. Any exemption granted is not a permission to carry munitions of war from one foreign state

Kishoge, will be curtailed up until October. While I have been told in meetings with the NTA that there will be additional carriages put on, those carriages will be taken from improvements to the northern line. They will be second-hand carriages. The roll-out of the DART

recommendation to extend the DART service to Wicklow town. I understand this extension can be facilitated through utilising the new battery-electric DART carriages which are currently arriving in Ireland and undergoing testing. The new battery-electric DART carriages will first be deployed from Dublin to Drogheda next … year. As more carriages arrive, it may be feasible to also deploy them to extend DART services to and from Wicklow, subject to funding and approvals for the required charging infrastructure. The NTA is examining this issue with a view to progressing the extension around 2029. This could

very much welcome that Ireland’s rail network is carrying more passengers than ever before. We are rightly investing in new train carriages and new services, expanding our capacity and planning for growth in rail usage over the coming decades. We talk regularly in this House about housing … public transport. I very much welcome the investment that we will see in the coming months and years, in particular in new train carriages on the northern commuter line and transformational projects such as DART+, which will significantly improve railway services for communities across Fingal and the wider

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

Taoiseach confirm that the delay in DART+ South West will not have a knock-on effect on the provision of additional carriages on those lines because so many people are commuting and stuck in that traffic? I would appreciate if the Taoiseach could confirm that there will … delay in providing additional carriages on those lines

without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. The system of exemptions is operated under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989 by the Department of Transport. In 2023, 2024 and to date … applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel. The policy of diplomatic clearance is well known and is fully understood by the United States and other international partners, and is done in full compliance

that is published on the Government’s website and in relation to the system of exemptions that operates under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989, as operated by the Department of Transport. I have also been clear that … date this year, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel. I think this is important. That is why I have put the information on the record of the Dáil that my Department

important that we facilitate that, take cars off the road and provide as much public transport as possible. The investment in the extra carriages, as outlined, on the Drogheda line will free up carriages. Deputy Wall has made the case well that much of that should

happening but we must make sure we have more capacity. That is not just capacity in the lines themselves, it is in the carriages. We have secured the first phase of the new carriages, which were purchased by the last Government. They will be initially rolled

extend the DART service to Wicklow town. I understand this extension can be facilitated through the utilisation of the new battery electric DART carriages, which are coming into service. Somebody else raised the issue of the Shannon Airport rail link. On the plans for a rail link … western region to develop as a rail network. We have a lot done. People are complaining that we do not have enough carriages now when 30 years ago we were closing down railway lines. We have got to a stage where the tipping point has been reached

pleased with a recent response from Irish Rail that told me the imminent DART+ fleet coming on stream would free up additional carriages. We are looking for an hourly service from Athy and also on the Waterford line. That would definitely benefit the huge increase in the population … State will consider that hourly service from Athy and other commuter towns along the Waterford line to Dublin and providing the additional carriages on the line to accommodate it. The demand is obvious from the petition I put up online recently. I hope the Government will give

city, needs to be looked at. It is not good enough that the train service in my area has been getting second-hand carriages from the northern route for two years. We need proper carriages

family is taking to a trip from Athlone where everyone has to stand on the train because what was marketed as a five-carriage train only has four carriages, there is a daily pain that people experience in terms of being late because real-time information

every decision we make. To meet demand, Iarnród Éireann is deploying all available fleet during peak times. In 2024, 41 additional InterCity railcar carriages were introduced, boosting capacity on key routes, in particular, Sligo, Galway, Westport and Belfast. Its DART+ fleet investment will deliver 185 electric and battery … electric carriages in the coming years, with more planned. We have taken possession of the first order of them. The first units have begun arriving and will enter service in 2026, following testing and approval

becoming one of our greatest pain points. Train services into Galway city are wholly inadequate. We need to see significant investment in additional carriages arriving at Athenry. As mentioned previously, there are only two carriages going in on the first train in the morning. To put it bluntly

connect people in Adamstown and Clonburris to the city centre, taking pressure off existing services in the constituency and to see whether additional carriages can be put on the train lines to support commuters in Clondalkin, Kishoge, Adamstown and Hazelhatch. This is a priority to bring people with

State's housing stock. Iarnród Éireann, funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority, NTA, is currently buying new train carriages, which is welcome, for the ever expanding number of commuters in Drogheda. What would be more welcome is the train station that has been

transport services and take a transport-orientated approach to development, including along the Belfast-Dublin economic corridor. That is happening. The new DART+ carriages coming on stream next year will make a real difference to commuters. The Deputy's point about the need for another station for Drogheda

increase access. I engage with Iarnród Éireann when there are big events in Dublin and Cork teams are playing. They tell me every carriage is being used and every bus is being used by Bus Éireann. We need to increase capacity so that people can get to those

Rail services. Only last week I highlighted one case of an elderly couple who were extremely unsteady on their feet, standing in between carriages because there were no seats left. I want to highlight to the House more examples from my constituents. Katie said: I'm currently writing

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

ensure passengers have access to drinking water and refreshments on the long distance rail services, particularly during periods of extreme heat; whether carriage temperatures are monitored and recorded; the temperature thresholds in place for passenger comfort and safety; whether there are plans to improve the air conditioning systems

asked the Minister for Transport whether a date has been set for the publication of his Department's report into the alleged illegal carriage of munitions of war through Irish sovereign airspace; if no date has been set, the reason; and if he will make a statement

offence type; whether his Department intends to review the 20km/h speed limit, the minimum age requirement, the prohibition on footpath use and passenger carriage, and the technical standards for compliant e-scooters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53678/26

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport for clarity on the provision of additional rail carriages for train services to and from Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50594/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport the reason additional carriages are not deployed, where operationally possible, on services known in advance to be heavily oversubscribed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49722/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the reason additional carriages are not provided where operationally possible on services known to be heavily oversubscribed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49751/26

extension of the battery electric DART to Wicklow town; the breakdown of the number of the second order of 90 battery-electric DART carriages that will be deployed to the southern commuter line serving Dublin to/from Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45441/26

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Transport the number of inspections carried out under Article 8 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989 in each of the years from 2019 to 2025, and to date

increase capacity on peak morning services between Oranmore and Galway city; specifically, the 8am service, in light of reported overcrowding; whether additional carriages will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40984/26

Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Transport the average carriage capacity on services operating on the Donabate train line per day in each of the years 2024 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [39390/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the number train carriages operating on the Maynooth train line, per day, in each of the years 2019 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34329/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport the average carriage capacity on services operating on the Maynooth train line, per day, in each of the years from 2019 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33779/26

Transport the way in which the annual passenger census is used by Iarnród Éireann and the National Transport Authority to inform decisions on carriage allocation on the Kildare commuter line; whether additional data sources are used to capture day-to-day variations in demand; and if he will

Transport the action his Department is taking to address overcrowding on train lines from Adamstown to Heuston station at peak hours; if additional carriages or services will be added to this line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31352/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport if additional carriages can be added to the Adamstown to Heuston train service at peak hours; the efforts being made to address overcrowding issues on this line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29968/26

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport to consider the implementation of additional carriages for a train route (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28910/26

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the reason in the context of the Red Luas line carriages with increased capacity are not being procured by the NTA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23767/26

Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport if Iarnród Éireann will increase the number of carriages from two to four on the 08:15am train from Midleton to Cork Kent Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26474/26

Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Transport if the new train carriages coming into the fleet over the next few years will now include automatic audio announcements reminding commuters when the doors are about to close on that particular train. [26679/26