I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for raising this. Neither the Minister for Transport nor his Department are involved in the day-to-day operation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector. The National Transport Authority, NTA, the independent transport regulator, has responsibility for setting taxi fares under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am informed that on 3 November 2025, Uber Ireland introduced a new option on their platform providing their customers with a single maximum price for a trip before requesting. This option is referred to on the platform as the taxi fixed price. Usually, when booking a taxi with Uber or other dispatch operators, a price range of the approximate cost of the journey is shown. With the Uber taxi fixed price option, I understand that the customer is now provided with a maximum guaranteed price upfront. If the final price on the taximeter is less than the initial maximum price provided, users pay the lower price on the meter. If the final price on the taxi meter is greater than the maximum price, users pay the maximum price only. From a legislative perspective, section 24 of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016 empowers the NTA board to make a maximum fares order, fixing the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any one journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024, and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every two years. The NTA has conducted these reviews since 2011. It is important to note that hackneys and limousines agree their fares in advance and do not use a meter. The NTA's most recent fare review was undertaken between November 2023 and March 2024. During this review, the NTA took account of the most significant economic issues that were relevant to the SPSV sector, which included inflation and cost of living, fuel prices and energy supply, geopolitical uncertainty and increased public transport availability. Following this review and a public consultation on the matter, the NTA introduced the Taxi Regulation (Maximum Fares) Order 2024, which increased taxi fares by an average of 9%. This came into operation on 1 December 2024 and ensures that taxi fares continue to reflect the rising costs associated with operating a taxi in Ireland. This increase includes a special rate for the weekend peak of 12 midnight to 4.00 a.m. on Friday night into Saturday morning and Saturday night into Sunday morning, year round, to incentivise more drivers to service the night-time economy. This followed on from the October 2022 order in which a 12% increase on fares was introduced. As set out in the legislation, charging more than the maximum fare can lead to a prosecution. However, charging below the maximum fare is permitted. The Minister understands that the Uber fixed price offer does not breach the maximum fare regulatory provisions for taxis or constitute an offence associated with the misuse of taximeters. SPSV operators are self-employed and may decide whether or not to sign-up with a licensed dispatch operator, such as Uber. They are not obliged to be affiliated with any dispatch operator. Where they choose to do so, taxi drivers are free to contract with a dispatch operator of their choice. Neither the Minister nor the NTA are parties to the commercial or contractual arrangements between SPSV drivers and their dispatch operators. Accordingly, the Department and the NTA have no role in the approval of such matters. There is a fixed payment offence associated with the misuse of taximeters set out by the NTA in the Small Public Service Vehicle (Fixed Payment Offences and Driver Licence Period) Regulations 2022.

Sentiment score: 0.08

As I mentioned in my opening statement, the regulation of the SPSV industry, including the setting of fares, is a matter for the independent transport regulator. It is also important to say that taxi fixed price is a new trip option recently introduced by Uber in Ireland, whereby passengers see a single maximum price for a trip before requesting it. I understand the Uber fixed price is also available in other jurisdictions in Europe. How it works is that a price is displayed in advance showing the maximum fare for a ride, and the user pays the lower of the metre fare or the maximum price fare. It is set out in the legislation that charges in excess of the maximum fare can lead to prosecution, although charging below the maximum fare is permitted. This is probably the kernel of the problem. If it is underpricing, it means it is pricing other people out of the market. This is something we can go back to and look at from the point of view of the Department and speak to the NTA about it.

Sentiment score: -0.14

It is but I do not think that whatever is being done at present is breaching regulations. It is using the pricing structures to bring down the price a bit, which customers will think is great but in the long term we need to have a sustainable taxi industry. This is why we set increases through the regulator, so that people can make a living from it. Being a taxi driver is not the easiest job in the world. The big issue is the dispatch operators that drivers sign up with, what the conditions are and whether they are in breach of the regulations. I will bring this back. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is away at COP in Brazil, which is why I am taking this particular question. It is not that I am abdicating responsibility. I will bring it back to him and we will have a chat with the officials about it on behalf of Deputy Boyd Barrett.

Sentiment score: 0.01

I thank Deputy Ahern for raising this important issue. It is following the theme of lots of tonight's priority and oral questions during Question Time. I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, who is in Brazil. I want to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. However, neither the Minister, me as Minister of State or the officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services rests with the National Transport Authority. That being said, I reassure Deputy Ahern that the Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options, and public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this. To support this objective, the Department of Transport secured €940 million in budget 2026 in funding for public service obligation and TFI Local Link services, an increase of 43% from €658 million in 2025. BusConnects is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, providing better bus services across our cities. It is the largest investment in the bus system in the history of the State and is managed by the NTA. The aim of the network is to improve the existing Transport for Ireland system through enhanced services with high frequency spines and new local, orbital and radial routes. The recently launched F spine, providing routes F1, F2, and F3, is part of phase 7 of the BusConnects network redesign and introduces high-frequency, 24-hour bus services on routes F1, F2 and 80 on key corridors, enhancing connectivity between areas such as Tallaght, Finglas, Charlestown and the city centre. This redesign also introduces new radial services on routes 23, 24, 73 and 82, and the new local route L89, to streamline the network and make services more efficient. Ahead of implementation, the NTA undertook extensive communication efforts, distributing over 200,000 booklets to households across the areas covered by the routes. It also advertised the new services in local media outlets and online and provided detailed briefings to local public representatives. It is acknowledged that these changes require some passengers to make their journeys in a different way. In some cases, customers now benefit from direct services where transfers were previously required, while others may need to interchange. The TFI 90 fare ensures that transfers incur no additional cost. In the days after the launch of phase 7, the NTA reported a technical fault in the Dublin Bus priority system, which adjusts traffic signals to ease bus movement. The fault lasted three consecutive days and caused unexpected delays, which understandably frustrated customers. Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly, and performance is expected to continue to improve. While this issue was separate from the BusConnects new service roll-out, it did impact all Dublin Bus routes during that period. The NTA and transport operators are working hard to ensure that the services are bedding in well but understand that it can take some time for people to get accustomed to any new arrangement. The kind of issues experienced at the launch of phase 7 are similar to those experienced during the early stages of implementation of previous phases that were addressed and resolved. In terms of the S orbital, phase 5b commenced on 26 November 2023 and involved the introduction of new southern orbital, radial and local routes. The S2, 74 and L25 routes are operated by Dublin Bus, while the S4, S6, S8, W2 and L55 are operated by Go-Ahead Ireland. This phase represented a major boost in service levels of approximately 80%. To put that into context, routes 17 and 175 used to provide approximately five services an hour in each direction during peak times. We have introduced a lot of bus routes and changed them around. I will come back in and answer a bit more for the Deputy.

Sentiment score: 0.17

I will get to the good part for the Deputy. Many communities have benefited from the first direct connection to the likes of UCD from the Long Mile Road, Crumlin hospital, Ballyfermot, Cherry Orchard, Rathgar and Milltown on the S4, and Firhouse Road, Cherryfield and Templeogue on the S6 route. The Deputy asked about the S6. It will move to a high-frequency timetable to improve punctuality, while the S8 will get run time adjustments to boost reliability. These improvements will go live on 30 November. Coming back to what the Deputy has said, the important thing is that we have a reliable service, that people understand the routes and where to get on and off and that we create, as I said earlier, an experience for passengers such that they will continue to use public transport. We are investing a lot of money in public transport. We are investing a lot of money in BusConnects. We are investing money in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The important thing is that if the routes do not work right, it is bad value for money. While we will have teething problems when we start a new route, it is important that we let people know and engage with the public, not just public representatives, and that we do so through multifaceted communication. It is important that if something is not working, we look and see how we can improve it rather than just leaving it there. We have a lot in the Department of Transport to bring back to the NTA after tonight's discussions, and a lot of it has a common thread. Public transport is probably working relatively well, but when there is a problem it becomes the overburdening thing in people's minds. We need to act faster to get these small imperfections sorted out in order that we have a smoother transport system. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter with me.

Sentiment score: 0.18