Departmental Investigations
92. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on his Department's investigation into overflights of munitions to Israel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51973/25]
I am seeking an update on the Department's investigation into overflights of munitions to Israel? Will the Minister commit to upholding Irish law under the Air Navigation Act and to concrete actions to stop Israel transporting weaponry and munitions it is using to commit war crimes in Palestine?
I thank the Deputy for his question on this important matter. As I have previously outlined to the House, the Chicago Convention of 1944 is the main international treaty governing the operation of international civil aviation. Article 35 of this convention provides that no civil aircraft may carry munitions of war in the sovereign territory of a state without that state’s permission. That pertains here in Ireland. This provision is implemented in Irish law in the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders of 1973 and 1989. Under these orders, the carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory unless I, in my role as Minister for Transport, have granted an exemption that permits it. From October 2023 to date, no applications for exemptions have been received and no exemptions have been granted for the carriage of munitions of war to any point in Israel. I will reiterate that to be very clear to the House. There have been no applications and no exemptions granted for any carriage of munitions of war to the State of Israel.
I want to clarify that the exemptions I grant as Minister for Transport to civil air operators are not permission to carry munitions of war from one sovereign state to another. The exemptions grant the civil aircraft concerned permission to carry its specific cargo in Irish sovereign territory, such as for an overflight or a non-traffic stop carried out to facilitate refuelling, crew rest or change and other technical issues that might arise. My Department is still engaged in examining the allegations that a number of air operators have carried munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without the required exemption permitting them to do so. The issues raised are complex and require the examination of extensive documentation. I understand the frustration that might arise due to the perceived delay in completing this work. It is not intentional - I take this very seriously - but the examination must be carried out to a standard that would support any further action should that action be deemed necessary.
I presume the Minister is talking about the draft report submitted in March this year.
Yes.
Will he commit to publishing it or give us a reason for refusing to publish it? Will we be here again in seven months or seven years demanding answers from a Government that is still not publishing it? There is a perception, of which I think the Minister is aware, that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have been turning a blind eye to some of the most egregious crimes against humanity. I would also like to express my solidarity with the humanitarian fleet of 500 civilians, including our own Senator Andrews and 20 other Irish citizens. They are doing what the Government has refused to do while Israel is acting with impunity and attacking the ships with drones. In the past, it has attacked ships like them. There is a carnival of distraction by Israel from what it has been carrying out - the genocide - on which we all agree. My concern is the Government is allowing-----
You have to conclude, Deputy.
-----these arms to travel through our airspace, that is, the same arms that are systematically targeting children.
I take the Deputy's question and statement in the manner in which it has been raised. The allegations, though, that any arms or weapons are going from Ireland to Israel are just wholly incorrect. Irish law is clear. On the examination of the draft report, we have sought legal advice. There is extensive documentation. I do not want to hide any of that but I need to allow it to be assessed properly, particularly should further action be required. On behalf of myself, colleagues and others, I too want to express my solidarity with those engaged in the humanitarian flotilla. All of us in Ireland abhor what is happening in Gaza and the occupied territories.
Hear, hear.
Ireland has led in Europe in that regard. There are others who wish to state otherwise - not the Deputy but others - purely for political points. This situation is far too serious for that.
I have raised this issue before. As the Minister has said this evening and on the previous occasion, under Irish air navigation law, the carriage of munitions is prohibited on any civil aircraft and failure to comply carries up to three years' imprisonment. The operators of these flights seem to think the Government has zero intention of upholding the law, unlike the Belgian Government, which opened a criminal investigation following the reporting of it. Why is the Government not doing the same? Seven months in such a serious situation is far too long. What is the Minister's view of what the then Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said to the public accounts committee when the issue was brought up? He said the Garda was not made aware of these flights and that it had no information that could lead to checks on the airline involved. Does the Minister believe that is the case and that the Garda had no information? If so, will he talk to his colleagues in government in relation to it? The email, I am told, was acknowledged at the time.
Where complaints and allegations are made about the illegal transfer of either munitions, parts of munitions or dual goods, items that could be used for military use, that is taken very seriously. We have a process that is long-standing in Irish law. Our legislation is very clear in that regard, with domestic orders going all the way back to 1973 and reaffirmed in 1989. I take the allegations seriously. It is appropriate that those allegations are given due care and consideration in a structured and forensic way. That includes the legal advice that would be required. Should I as Minister determine, on the basis of the final report I receive and following legal advice, that we need to take further action, I think the Deputy would agree that has to stand up based on a proper process. That is what is happening now. The Deputy can be assured I will keep him informed of progress. I met my officials on this matter as recently as this week. I will keep the House informed because I know people have genuine concerns in this regard.
Rail Network
93. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Transport whether he intends to develop or reinstate railway services in Donegal; whether any progress has been made in the north west since the publication of the all-island strategic rail review last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52139/25]
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who regrets he cannot be here. As the Deputy will be aware, the final report of the all-island strategic rail review was published in July of last year. The review's recommendations for County Donegal involve the development of a new rail line from Letterkenny to Derry, which connects to a new proposed rail line linking Derry to Portadown.
The programme for Government commits to working collaboratively to act on the rail review. Assisted by the European Investment Bank, EIB, advisory services, my Department, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and agencies across the island are working to progress the rail review's recommendations for the years ahead. As part of this, a project prioritisation strategy on how to optimise the implementation of the review's recommendations is planned for publication later this year. Officials from my Department and the Department for Infrastructure have also been in contact in relation to sharing the findings of a high-level feasibility study from Translink examining the review's recommendation of connecting Derry and Portadown with a proposed spur to Letterkenny. This study and the ongoing EIB work will help to inform the progression of rail projects into the future.
In addition, the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan saw the roll-out of a number of new and enhanced bus services in the north west last year, including to Letterkenny and Donegal town, implemented by the Donegal-Sligo-Leitrim transport co-ordination unit, TCU. As the Minister of State responsible for rural transport, I commend Mary Coughlan and her team in the Local Link service in Donegal, which is a phenomenal success. The volume of people using those buses is extraordinary.
More generally, the recently concluded Government review of the national development plan, NDP, has confirmed my Department’s annual capital allocations from 2026 to 2030, and a decision on a programme of transport delivery within the available funding will be made in the coming months. The important issue of connectivity in the north west will be considered as part of that final decision.
It is shocking that in this day and age that there is still no significant investment in regional rail in the north west. People in Inishowen who travel to Letterkenny or Donegal town must travel by bus. I know an 82-year-old man who travels on a bus to Donegal town to see a relative. He is on the bus for the guts of two hours. Many of my constituents do this and are travelling long distances. It is outrageous. The lack of sufficient healthcare is not addressed. There is a lack of transport. There is a litany of neglect in Donegal. Will the Minister commit to ensure Donegal will have a rail service that connects us to the rest of the west, the capital and the North into the future, so that we can give people something to hope for?
I assure Deputy Ward that the Department, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, and I are aware of the needs of Donegal, which I visited in July. It is not correct that the Government has not invested in transport in Donegal. I referenced the Local Link service. We can see the phenomenal investment and growth in that service. I fully acknowledge the Deputy's personal stories of people who have to travel. I met some of those people on my visit to Donegal during the summer.
It is important to recognise that the Department is reviewing the key programmes and projects in the transport envelope in the context of the national development plan. That capital funding envelope will include investment in the rail network. As I said, a decision will be made in the coming months within the available funding. The Government is prioritising connectivity in Donegal and the proof is in the roll-out of new and enhanced bus services. I take the Deputy's point on the need for further investment. We are looking at that.
Donegal is the only county in the whole of Ireland in which the rail network was removed. We are so far behind that it will take billions of euro to get us up to date. When the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, was Minister for housing, he turned his back to us. I ask him, as Minister for Transport, not to turn his back on Donegal again.
I never turned my back on Donegal.
Will the lack of infrastructure investment in Donegal be addressed in any way in the budget next week?
I do not want to get into a political back and forth with Deputy Ward because I respect where he is coming from. However, if we look at the Local Link service in Donegal and talk to the TCU manager there, Fionnuala O'Shea, we see the investment in the 966, 959, 957, 954, 952 and 953 routes. People are using Local Link. If the Government had turned its back on Donegal and was not investing in it, as the Deputy claimed, those routes would not be there. We are investing.
I take his point that Donegal is the only county, or one of the few counties, with no rail link. However, in terms of rural transport, the Government is connecting people. I meet them every day. I was struck by the people I met in Donegal in terms of the mobility and connectivity available to them. If we took out the bus service, there would be nothing; I take the Deputy's point on that. However, the Government has been investing in those bus services, which he has not acknowledged at all. We are investing in new routes, new ideas and new connectivity, reducing socialisation marginalisation and connecting people. One example of that is students being able to travel to college.
Thank you, Minister, you must conclude.
Regional Development
94. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to ensure balanced regional development of transport infrastructure following the review of the national development plan. [51974/25]
What does the Minister plan to do to address the critical infrastructural deficits that cripple Ireland's transport networks the length and breadth of the State? What is he doing to address the fact the national development plan includes concrete measures only for the Dublin MetroLink, a project that has been in the pipeline for decades? The feeling is that he is leaving rural Ireland behind. What efforts will he make to ensure there is balanced regional development rather than referencing only one project in the NDP, which is the MetroLink in Dublin?
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo a ardú, ach níl sé ceart faoi ar chor ar bith. He is not correct at all in his assertion. We have the largest ever national development plan, with €105 billion of investment between now and the end of the decade, and €245 billion-plus in total. Those are the facts. Now it is about delivery and we are seeing lots of our projects across the country coming through planning and starting to commence. I am sure the Deputy shares our commitment under the NDP and welcomes the investments we are making. Since assuming office, I have seen the impact of those investments, which are happening on a regional basis and in rural communities right across the Republic.
I will give a couple of examples. In Cork, I attended the contract signing for the M28 Ringaskiddy project, which will benefit the entire south-west region by providing much-needed improved access to the Port of Cork, thereby enhancing competitiveness for the region as a whole. In Limerick, I have been on site to see the progress being made on the Adare bypass. It is being delivered as the first phase of the overall N69 Foynes to Limerick project, which will play a similar role for the mid-west in improving access to the Port of Foynes and will be complemented by the work under way on reopening the rail link to the port as well. These are real projects that are actually happening. In the north west, we are funding Donegal County Council's trans-European transport network, TEN-T, improvement project - unfortunately, Deputy Charles Ward has left the Chamber - which will likely represent the largest single investment in infrastructure in the north west and the construction of which will be delivered through funding I have secured on behalf of our citizens as part of the NDP review.
That is just a snapshot of the investments being made by the Government. Wherever I have been since assuming office, I have seen at first hand the impact of new and improved bus services in rural Ireland and connectivity between rural towns, as the Minister of State outlined in his response to the previous question. Yes, we need to do a lot more. The NDP is fully funded and the projects we deliver will be transformative and will build on the progress already made.
As the Minister said, it is about delivery at this stage. All the projects he mentioned are projects that were previously announced. The NDP review did not bring anything new to the table. It was also scant on any real substance or detail. Most of the projects were on the books for years and some of them, like MetroLink, for decades. MetroLink, on the books for decades, is the only transport project the NDP review mentions. The Government is talking about new announcements but the people do not want announcements; they want project deliveries to happen across the island rather than being concentrated in Dublin. How many times has MetroLink been pushed out as an example of Government ambition when we have yet to break ground on it and there is still no plan to do so? The only thing that has changed over the years is the spiralling cost, which is now probably up to €23 billion. That is an astronomical amount of money. While an investment of €2 billion is substantial, it barely scratches the surface. Will the Government identify and deliver key projects? Will the commitments made in budget 2026 be part of that process?
Capital has been secured through the NDP. It is a fully funded multi-annual plan. In the coming weeks, each Department, including my own, will publish departmental NDP plans setting out specific projects. I could stand here for the next two hours listing the projects that are under way but I will give only a couple of examples. Phase 1 of the Cork area commuter rail programme is scheduled to be completed next year. There are ongoing station upgrades at Galway Ceannt and Oranmore, as well as the construction of a new Waterford Plunkett Station. These investments will increase accessibility and reliability for passengers, provide interconnectivity of different transport networks and further develop the overall availability of efficient public transport across a number of regions.
MetroLink is a critical project, which I understand the Deputy's party supports. This is the first Government to fund it.
It is not just for Dublin, the north Dublin region, Swords or the airport. It will be an economic driver for the whole region. A number of projects are all under way right across the country. We can actually see that. To answer the Deputy's question directly, we will be publishing a departmental NDP in the coming weeks and listing projects that are under way and how we are going to complete them.
According to reports, the Government is set to hike public transport fees in this year's budget. We have heard that there is a €250 million funding gap and, as a result, commuters who are already crippled by rising rents and the cost of living are going to face fare hikes. I want the Minister to commit to retaining the reductions in public transport fares as part of this year's budget.
Earlier this year we were warned by officials in the Department of public expenditure that key infrastructure projects would not be delivered without increasing fares, but now we hear that services will be cut also. If the Government is trying to reduce carbon emissions and get people onto public transport, it cannot hike up the fares in this year's budget. We need an affordable, sustainable and reliable public transport system across every village, town and city on the island if we are serious about a modal shift and reducing our transport emissions.
Last year we saw the highest number of public transport passenger journeys that we had ever seen. There were about 330 million passenger journeys. The good news is that in the month of August we were up about 10.5% on the comparable month last year. We want to maintain a sustainable and affordable public transport system.
I advise the Deputy not to believe everything he reads in the newspapers in that regard. A balance is required to ensure that we continue investment in our public transport services and also investment in our roads. Along with the Ministers of State, Deputies Buttimer and Canney, later this year I intend to announce the 2026 roads programme, which will be a further increase on what we have been able to do this year. Delivery is key, and delivering faster and more efficiently. That is why the previous Government brought in the planning and development Act, which was opposed by others. That is fair enough. It is their right to do so. It is now about doing this efficiently and getting it done. We all share an absolute view that we need to maintain an affordable and sustainable public transport system for our people.
Bus Services
95. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if he will commit to the development of an orbital bus service for Mallow to alleviate traffic congestion in the town centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48988/25]
Will the Minister for Transport commit to the development of an orbital bus service for the town of Mallow to alleviate the traffic congestion in Mallow? As we are aware, the Government made a commitment previously to build a northern distributor road around Mallow but, to date, it has not been delivered. I accept that takes time. Will the Minister commit in the meantime, for the next seven years, to establishing a north-south orbital bus route for Mallow to ease congestion in the town?
I thank Deputy O'Flynn for this very important question, and for his commitment to the people of Mallow. I look forward to working with him because we both share a desire to see the town of Mallow continue to flourish and develop. As he is aware, the National Transport Authority's Local Link and rural transport programme is, in the case of Cork, managed and administered in Cork by the Local Link offices in Bantry and Fermoy.
Cork has seen considerable investment in regular rural bus services including the introduction of a number of new bus services. The route 530, connecting Fermoy and Mallow, began in August this year. Current passenger numbers are approximately 400 per week and are expected to grow over time as the route settles into operation. Route 243, from Newmarket to Cork via Mallow, was also enhanced in June. Route 515, connecting Mallow to Killarney, is at an advanced stage of planning and the commencement date is subject to the availability of funding. An increase in funding for public transport services, including rural transport, will be considered in the upcoming budget 2026 discussions.
Any additional proposals are considered as part of an ongoing review of rural transport and town services. I am informed by the NTA that it has no current plans to introduce an orbital local bus service in Mallow. However, the NTA has told me that it will explore options to provide local public transport connections within Mallow on new and existing local and regional services, subject to securing relevant stopping place approvals and construction of bus stop infrastructure, which is important.
In February this year, an Exchequer investment of €713 million for regional and local roads - as mentioned by the Deputy - across the State was also announced, under which Cork County Council received an allocation of approximately €83 million. In this allocation, €700,000 was put aside for the Mallow relief road. The scheme consists of a bypass of Mallow with the objective of removing east-west traffic from the town centre. The options selection phase has been completed, and as the Deputy is aware, a submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála is expected in April 2026. I will conclude on this point. The Government and I believe that the impact of the Mallow relief road project on traffic in Mallow town centre will be significant.
The Minister of State can come back in.
I look forward to working further with the Deputy to alleviate the traffic gridlock.
I thank the Minister of State. I am very grateful for his help in securing the money for the Mallow distributor road. We accept that it is vital that we get it up and running. In the meantime, I am delighted with the Minister of State's reply to the effect that the NTA is exploring looking at putting the orbital route in place. The Minister of State visited my constituency several times. I invite him to Mallow to have a look at the congestion. I know he is very familiar with the area. I would like to bring him to see what downtown Mallow is like. The fact is that you cannot get from Ballyviniter into the town itself, and we do not have enough parking. It is a wonderful, fantastic town. I chose to live there myself for the last 24 years, but it does have its challenges. Until we have the Mallow distributor road built, we need orbital bus routes to get the traffic off the streets because it is so spread out, and because it has been a success story with housing estate after housing estate. Orbital bus routes could be very helpful. That could probably be introduced as part of the Fermoy to Mallow bus service.
I thank the Deputy and call on the Minister of State to respond.
I look forward to coming to visit Mallow. Deputy Colm Burke, who is sitting behind me, has also asked me to go there. I look forward to meeting with Deputy O'Flynn in Mallow. I visited Mallow recently.
The Minister of State never called in.
Perhaps the Deputy was not there. There is an issue in the centre of Mallow and going from A to B. There is traffic gridlock going to the roundabout heading towards the Killarney Road, coming from Fermoy, which requires a lot of patience and persistence by motorists and cyclists alike. However, let us look at what the Government has done in the town of Mallow in terms of the frequency of the rail service, investing in light rail and public transport, including Leap cards and the station in Mallow.
I take the Deputy's point. There is more that we can do. The NTA and TFI Local Link are looking at the whole plan. There is a plan for a regular rural service in the morning and demand-response services. It is important for overall connectivity that we make it easier for people and services there in terms of lighting and getting on and off at bus stops. I will visit Mallow with Deputy O'Flynn.
I thank the Minister of State.
Perhaps he can bring me to the particular spots where he thinks there should be bus stops as well.
That is no problem at all. As he is aware, the Minister of State is more than welcome in my home and he is certainly more than welcome in my local pub as well, Albert Lynch's.
He has outlined what Mallow needs. I accept that we also need to have a commitment not just to the Mallow distributor road but to the northern ring road around Cork and to the Cork to Limerick road, which will be key infrastructure for delivering to the town of Mallow and Cork North-Central.
I was disturbed, upset and perturbed when I heard the leader of the Labour Party last week on Leaders' Questions. She was very much at odds with her backbenchers. She objected to the building of roads and took umbrage with the Government and the Minister who was standing in for the Taoiseach on the day. She said that we are not building enough bicycle lanes and the Government has rowed back on its commitment. There are many things I can criticise the Government for, but it has been very good at building bicycle lanes. There has been a very good commitment from this new Administration when it comes to the building of roads.
I thank the Deputy.
Does the Minister of State agree that we should ask the Labour Party leader-----
I thank the Deputy. The Minister of State should respond.
The line Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I have €92 million more for roads this year and I hope we will have more next year in the budget. There is a real need for this funding. Deputy Colm Burke has a question on the Cork to Limerick motorway. We need that motorway. All of us who travel that road know that is the case from an economic point of view and from a safety point of view, and we want to see the motorway built. The sum of €700,000 has been allocated to the Mallow relief road. That scheme will provide increased scope for development and enhancement of the public realm.
To be fair, we do need bicycle lanes and to support active travel measures. Mallow is a thriving town. Deputy O'Flynn is absolutely right. We want to see it grow and develop further. I look forward to seeing that happen for the residents and businesses in Mallow, but it is also part of Our Rural Future, and involves the Department of Transport and my other Department - the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. We want to see thriving towns like Mallow acting as a hub and offering a link. Part of that is an enhanced public transport offering.
I thank the Minister of State.
I look forward to working with all Members. Deputy O'Flynn referred to other Members of the House. We should bring them on a journey.
National Development Plan
96. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the work his Department is undertaking following the review of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52148/25]
Could the Minister provide an update on the work his Department is undertaking following the review of the national development plan? Could he specifically outline how projects are being assessed at the moment by his Department for inclusion in the plan, the criteria he is using to assess projects and how they will be prioritised in terms of timelines for delivery?
I thank the Deputy for his question, which follows on very much from the question asked by his party's spokesperson. The Deputy will be aware that transport was one of the four prioritised areas for investment under this NDP review and we secured a core allocation of €22.3 billion across the next five years, with a further €2 billion allocated from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to assist with the delivery of MetroLink.
The allocation is significant both as a share of the overall NDP investment and in comparison with the last five years, which saw approximately €13 billion allocated toward transport between 2021 and 2025. It shows the much-needed and significant increase in that capital funding.
As with all other Departments, we are now preparing a transport sectoral plan, as I mentioned to Deputy Daly, for publication in the coming weeks, which will provide further sectoral details in relation to the distribution of those investments and that allocation across the various programmes right across the Department. The Deputy asked about criteria. A clear focus of that plan will be on providing greater certainty on the projects and programmes that will advance and get delivered in the next five years. Deliverability and commencement of projects, and obviously making sure projects are moving through planning, are particularly important.
In developing that plan, I will obviously take cognisance of commitments under the programme for Government, as well as overarching policy commitments already made under the national planning framework, the climate action plan and the sustainable mobility plan. Things like transport-orientated development are going to be critical to enable us to build more homes to add to the 135,000 homes we built in the past five years. A real area of focus for the Government is linking all our critical infrastructure investment to support the delivery of large-scale housing. We have a real opportunity to do that and transport-orientated development in that regard will greatly assist.
Funding announcements are very welcome but, obviously, what will matter is the delivery of projects and it is clear there are serious deficits in our transport infrastructure across the State. We have yet to see the detail of the plan and what projects are going to be funded and delivered. As Deputy Daly pointed out, the only project specifically mentioned in the NDP was MetroLink. As I have mentioned to the Minister many times, the west and north west is one of the most underdeveloped regions in Europe when it comes to infrastructure, particularly in respect of transport infrastructure. I can think of many projects such as the western rail corridor, the Gluas, many road projects and more that are badly needed in the west of Ireland. I ask the Minister to specifically outline how this plan will be regionally balanced. How will he ensure it is regionally balanced? Will he be applying a particular ratio in terms of funding, between the regions? How is he going to ensure that every region gets its fair share?
I thank the Deputy. He is advocating strongly for his own area and I believe he would agree that while a lot of progress has been made in the past five or ten years on infrastructural investment and infrastructure full stop, as our population - thankfully - continues to grow and as our economy thankfully is still in full employment because of the hard work of our people and the economic and policy decisions made by this Government and the previous one, we must make sure we catch up where there are infrastructural deficits. In the coming weeks, the Department of Transport and all Departments effectively will be publishing their own NDP. That will be a sectoral analysis, detailing the projects that will be included as we do in the roads programme. We see roads progressing, and we are seeing roads being built. We are seeing rail lines progress, as I mentioned in my response to Deputy Daly, such as Foynes, the Cork commuter rail and the work being done in Galway. I note Deputy Connolly is present as well. We have a lot to do in that space. We will be publishing each departmental plan around the NDP. One euro in four of investment secured is going into public transport.
The question was how the Minister was going to ensure that is regionally balanced. In terms of regional balance, one issue I have repeatedly raised is overcrowding on rail services between Athenry and Galway. We have the passing loop coming at Oranmore, which is welcome, but it will be some time before that is delivered and ultimately, we need full double-tracking of that section between Athenry and Galway City. I urge the Minister to ensure that is included in his plan. In the short term, we have a real crisis for commuters travelling into Galway city from Athenry, as I have previously raised with the Minister. The 7.49 a.m. service from Athenry is the first morning service into Galway city. In recent weeks some services have been completely sold out. People have been left behind at platforms and people actually have been injured as a result of overcrowding. As these are people who work at the hospital in Galway and students who are forced to commute into the city because of accommodation shortages, a reliable rail service is absolutely critical to them. We do not have the capacity at present. When I previously raised this with the Minister, he said he would engage with Irish Rail on this issue. Can he provide an update on that and if any short-term solutions will be implemented?
To ensure balanced regional development, the national planning framework will guide that and the NDP itself. As for the commitments we have made in the programme for Government, the two parties and the Independents came together to ensure and commit to a balanced regional development and we will ensure that it happens. This morning, I met the incoming new chief executive of Iarnród Éireann at Heuston Station. That was on the occasion of our announcement of the companion pass for the over-70s that means over 500,000 additional people will be able to avail of free transport when accompanying the over-70s. We introduced the five-to-eight-year-old free travel card across all our networks. We want more and more people to use our public transport. That is 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 out on the northern line and then all the way across the country. That will add to the rolling stock we have. The passing loop will happen. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, gave the Deputy a very detailed response in our last oral questions here on transport about matters specifically in the Deputy's constituency. During the coming weeks, we will publish the transport sectoral plan
Public Transport
97. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the implementation timeline for the next generation ticketing system; the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure the project is delivered on schedule and within budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52160/25]
Next generation ticketing is something we absolutely need not just in Dublin but all of Ireland. This project was first mooted in 2012, yet here we are in 2025 and we still are waiting. Can the Minister please give us an update as to where we are with this project, the oversight mechanisms and how we can ensure this project is delivered to the new timelines? Can he give us confidence as to when we will see it?
I thank Deputy Boland. Like the Deputy, I am eager to see next generation ticketing rolled out on the Irish public transport system. This will be across the whole Twenty-six Counties, across our whole transport system, that is, rail, bus and Luas. I look forward to seeing its introduction as part of BusConnects Dublin before ultimately being delivered across the entire public transport network. I acknowledge there is a sense of frustration among many that contactless systems of payment are not available here as they are in other countries, as well as a sense of frustration at the time it is taking to deliver the system here at home. The fact is we introduced a new ticketing system, Leap, just as the financial crisis took hold and investment in ticketing technology was cut back and took a long time to recover. That is just the truth of it. The good news, however, is that we do now have the funding available to make the move to new technology and the National Transport Authority has entered into a contract with Indra to deliver the project. The initial focus of the project is on the greater Dublin area, rolled out across four phases. This is a major, complex project, with an estimated capital cost of over €160 million to implement it in the greater Dublin area alone. Phase 1 is due to launch in summer 2027, which will test contactless payment on a small number of new validators or ticket machines. As we do this, obviously, we have to keep Leap running as well. Phase 2 will be ready in the summer of 2028, allowing passengers on bus and Luas services to use the next generation ticketing technology, including contactless payments on validators. Plans for phases 3 and 4 are under development. I met Indra and the NTA only a number of weeks ago. I am watching the project very closely myself. I gave a commitment to the House prior to the recess that I would meet the developers of the system and I have done so. I will continue to do so.
I thank the Minister and I appreciate the update. When we look at other cities across Europe, we see they have introduced contactless payments much quicker. Milan did it in 24 months across multimode transport. One of the things I am concerned about is we have a contractor, Indra, who is to work with the NTA to deliver a very complex IT deployment across Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, and Luas. It is a very complex IT project. We see Indra already is €40 million over budget on the national train control centre project, as well as two years delayed. We do not have an amazing track record at delivering complex IT projects across the public service.
I appreciate that a lot of money is being invested in this and that the Minister will keep strong oversight of it, but it needs very strong oversight to make sure we do not have the same situation as with the train control centre, that is a €40 million overrun and two-year delay.
To be fair, the contract was only awarded in August 2024, so that is how long we have been waiting. It is now the end of September 2025. I met the chief executive who came to my offices in Leeson Lane. I put to him the very point the Deputy put about the national train control centre. There are many reasons for that overrun, but it will deliver a state-of-the-art centre. Having said that, the company has delivered ticketless systems across the world and done so very well. I have confidence that it will be able to do so here. I have asked the NTA for monthly reports to give me progress updates. I am also pleased that Indra is now opening new European offices in Dublin, showing commitment to Ireland. While it had staff here, it is now opening full-time offices here, including a new office in Dublin. That is a commitment not only to this project, but to further work it may do. The Deputy can be assured that I am getting monthly reports. I will be meeting the company again early in the new year and we have to hit those timeframes of the phase 1 roll-out.
On the operating model for the NTA, am I right that after the deployment of next generation ticketing, the NTA will be moving from simply doing oversight to directly managing fare collection, system operations and having regulatory oversight? Does this give rise to a conflict of interest between the various roles, particularly when it comes to disputes? Is there a clear operating model for the NTA? Will there be transparent governance structures to make sure there are no conflicts of interest between the various roles? Does the NTA have all the competence and capabilities to deliver the next generation ticketing in conjunction with Indra as well as a fit-for-purpose operating model?
The NTA has a lot under its remit. I have confidence it will deliver it. I have met the programme manager and have asked many of the questions the Deputy just put. That is my job and I should do so.
It is a significant investment on the part of the Exchequer. It will make a big difference to commuters. I mentioned earlier in responses to colleagues in the House the significant increase in public transport journeys we are seeing. People are responding to affordable, sustainable and punctual public transport. We can always improve and we need to continue to improve. This system will be better than the one that operates in London. People always use the example of Britain. The system that operates in London and other parts of Britain is not countrywide. This will be countrywide on all public transport. It will be on Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann, Luas, DART and intercity rail. It is a significant roll-out and we have to do it while keeping the existing system fully operational. It will also require the replacement of a lot of validators. We will be watching it carefully.