Road Network
98. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the progress to date regarding the N20-M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51598/25]
Will the Minister give an update on the progress of the M20 Limerick to Cork motorway project and make a statement on the matter?
I thank the Deputy for the question and his ongoing advocacy on the need for the N20-M20 Cork-Limerick motorway. He and I share an urgent need to have this road completed. I wish he and I were not in the House again discussing this. It is a project of gargantuan importance.
As Members will know, it involves 80 km of refurbishment and, at its core, the project will address many of the road safety concerns on the existing N20. I also commend Councillor Liam Madden on his work on this project. In addition, the project is aimed at improving connectivity between Cork and Limerick, increasing journey time reliability for passenger and freight traffic and improving the economic heartbeat of the region. As Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, I know it is also about relieving congestion in towns such as Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville and improving the quality of life for residents in those towns.
The project team issued updates in June 2024 and June 2025 to inform all stakeholders of progress to date and proposed next steps. Earlier this year the update provided further detail on the refinement of the route corridor and the impact on landowners. It also detailed junction designs, plans for transport hubs and the active travel infrastructure that is part of the project. A preferred route has been selected and the project team is currently engaging in the design and evaluation phase. At this juncture I understand that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, expects to submit a preliminary business case to the Department of Transport in the second half of next year. Given the scale of expenditure required, the project will require the approval of the Government at that stage before submission of statutory documents to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will follow thereafter.
The big challenge we have is the growth in businesses and in the number of people having to travel to work in Limerick, Mallow or Cork and the resulting huge volume of traffic on this road. The road was fine 50 years ago, in particular from Cork to Mallow and Mallow to the Limerick boundary, but it is now past its sell-by date. It is important that the project be expedited. For instance, I travel to Mallow to get a 6.05 a.m. train to Dublin on a Tuesday morning and at 5.30 a.m., the volume of traffic against me is one long line from Blarney to Mallow. I am therefore asking for more definitive dates for when we will go through the planning process. The other issue is that a lot of land is totally locked up now-----
Thank you, Deputy. You will be coming back in.
-----because there is still indecision about the final route.
I agree with Deputy Burke that, despite the challenges outlined, the growth necessitates that this road be expedited. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I in the Department of Transport, working with An Taoiseach and other members of Government, will do our damnedest to expedite the project delivery for this road. I fully concur with Deputy Burke. I travel that road regularly. The road was fine 50 years ago, but it is not any more for a variety of reasons, such as safety, connectivity and the congestion in the towns, as I mentioned earlier. I will certainly work with everyone to decrease the project's time. Equally, Deputy Burke raised another point we need to address, the land that is locked up. That is about the economic prosperity and further growth of the region from an economic point of view. I will try to get further information for Deputy Burke from TII about the question he raised on the timelines for the project.
The Ryder Cup will take place in two years' time and work has already started on the roads there. It will have an effect on the area because a huge number of tourists will come to the country during that period. For them to see the road infrastructure without any evidence that we are trying to improve it will not be helpful. This issue needs to be prioritised because of the number of people who will travel to Ireland and to that region during that period.
On the Ryder Cup, I congratulate the European team, including Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Deputy Burke is right. We are committed to the Adare piece, but the Cork to Limerick part is equally important. I am confident that-----
I might have counted wrong.
I am not sure we will get there for the Ryder Cup, but it needs to be-----
I thought we had finished that question.
Gabh mo leithscéal.
Transport Policy
99. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport for a status update on the development of the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy; the timeline for the completion of the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51768/25]
119. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Transport further to Question No. 137 of 24 June 2025, the progress to date on the roll-out of light rail for Galway, following the publication of the feasibility study on 30 October 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51778/25]
Deputy Connolly has double time.
I am not sure whether the Minister or Minister of State will answer this question. Galway is a beautiful city. Is cathair dhátheangach í ar thairseach na Gaeltachta is mó sa tír ach is fadhb ollmhór é an tranglam tráchta. Baineann mo cheist leis na réitigh. I am asking for a status update on the development of the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy, which has been in place since 2016. It was dated then and we are still waiting for the review. Will the Minister also give an update on the progress to date of the roll-out of light rail? It has been almost a year since the report was published on the feasibility of light rail for Galway.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 119 together.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht na gceisteanna tábhachtacha. Aontaím léi faoi chathair na Gaillimhe. The National Transport Authority is currently developing the Galway metropolitan area transport strategy in conjunction with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. It will replace the existing Galway transport strategy the Deputy referred to, which was adopted in 2016. It is important to note that while the development continues, investment in Galway's transport network continues.
It is taking place in line with the existing strategy. The Deputy will no doubt be aware of, and welcome, the funding the Government has made available to support the redevelopment of Ceannt Station, the expansion of Oranmore Station, the progression of BusConnects Galway, delivery of active travel projects in the city and county on a scale we have not seen before and the opening of the Moycullen bypass.
As part of the development of the new strategy, mode-specific analysis in the form of a light rail feasibility study and a strategic roads feasibility study will form part of the analysis used to inform the development of the multimodal GMATS, alongside recommendations for active travel, bus, rail, roads and demand-management measures. The light rail feasibility study was published by the NTA on 30 October 2024. That feasibility study is not a stand-alone document and has been published for information only. The feasibility study does not identify a preferred alignment for light rail in the study area and is only intended to explore issues and potential feasibility. The indicative route options presented in the final report would need to be explored further, following any decision to further progress light rail for the city.
I know the Deputy will be acutely aware that in January 2023, the High Court remitted the application for approval of the N6 Galway city ring road back to An Coimisiún Pleanála for further consideration. Galway County Council submitted an updated environmental impact assessment report and the Natura impact statement to An Coimisiún Pleanála on 15 April 2025 in relation to the N6 Galway city ring road. The NTA is of the view, and I agree, that this updated information must be considered in the preparation of the strategic roads feasibility study and the GMATS and prior to publication of a draft strategy for public consultation.
That decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála will be critical to how the overall transport system works. I know this is a matter close to the Deputy’s heart, so I am not trying in any way to be disagreeable but I want to acknowledge the projects that are happening and are in place. The ring road will be critical in the decision on the future of the city of Galway and its transport network.
I thank the Minister for the comprehensive answer. Unfortunately, there is no park-and-ride facility in Galway even though it went into the plan 20 years ago on 1 February 2005. It has simply never been rolled out. On a feasibility study for light rail, we collected 24,000 signatures. I forget which year it was, it is so long ago now, but it was 2017 or 2018. It took until last year to get the feasibility study - I want to thank the previous Minister for that - but now the Minister is telling me nothing will happen in that regard except we are going to wait for the plan that cannot be done until we get a decision from An Bord Pleanála. It is since 1999, when I became a councillor, that I have been listening about an outer bypass. I have my own views about that and have taken a decision in relation to that but I have always put forward other solutions. It was 1999 when I was elected. It is now 2025 and there is not a sign of the outer bypass.
Of increased transport demand, the study by the Department of Transport tells us:
... will eventually result in the bypass becoming congested without further intervention. While traffic flows will become lighter [… it] will remain a challenge … while the overall level of congestion in the city will rise given the higher volume ...
That is the Department of Transport study telling us that even with another road, we are going to be in trouble. Transformative action is needed. That is what we need since declaring a climate emergency. We are not getting transformative action. What we are getting is delays. An Bord Pleanála failed to look at the climate legislation. That is why its decision was quashed by agreement. It failed to look at the climate plan and it had to go back to basics, which is where the matter is now. I have great concerns that when it looks at the climate implications, there will be serious problems. We need a plan that is sustainable. One of the simplest ways of that part is to roll out light rail on the western side of the city.
Regardless of the Deputy’s own views, and she has taken a position on the ring road, one could discuss the delays and why it has taken so long. People have had their say and there are judicial reviews. That is the planning process. The Deputy mentioned the Department’s own study and the reality that, even if that road was built, it would be under pressure but Galway - the Deputy lives in Galway and I know it extremely well, too - is under ferocious pressure because that road is not built. I am a big supporter of public transport and rail in particular. The national development plan, which we have just concluded the review of, has allocated every one in four euro between now and 2030 towards transport and transport infrastructure and rail, light rail and heavy rail will be a critical part of that. Work is happening within Galway right now that I referenced in my initial response to the Deputy. I understand the need to look at the overall strategy on the basis of what An Coimisiún Pleanála's decision will be in relation to the ring road itself. Even those who may have opposed the road for what they believed were valid reasons would understand that it would be a critical part. If the road were not to be approved at the end at all, we would then have to look at other options. That is what the Deputy enunciated here this evening, too. I believe that Galway needs that ring road and Galway needs further public transport. It is a vibrant city, a city that I love, and the county too, but it has been choked by traffic. I have many friends there and a daughter who spends every year in the Gaeltacht in south Connemara, so I know it very well. It is about the overall strategy and understanding what the decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála will be. There is BusConnects Galway, the Dublin Road scheme and many other things from Moneenageisha right the way through, so there are good things happening but the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála will be fundamental to the decision on how we move forward.
I think it is a false argument about the need for an outer bypass or not. This is about sustainable solutions and transformative action. Let us go back to why the An Bord Pleanála decision was quashed. There was an agreement to quash the decision because it had failed to consider the climate action plan. Imagine that it had failed to do that. What I am trying to get at here is because we put all our eggs in one basket, regardless of one’s view, let An Coimisiún Pleanála make its decision and let that go into operation one way or another. My difficulty is that this beautiful city has failed to roll out park-and-ride facilities 20 solid years after we put them in the development plan. We have failed to maximise school transport to lift the traffic off the road. We have failed to act on a feasibility study. It took us too long to do the feasibility study and now the Minister is telling me the feasibility study has gone into the future depending on a decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála. I do not think that is a transformative action. I think that is the same old thinking. I understand the Minister’s dilemma and what he is saying but that same dilemma has been put forward for 25 solid years where we are told we have to wait for the road. In the meantime, we let the traffic build up out of all proportion. The Department’s own report is telling us that it will be choked with traffic in the future again. A wise government would ask what transformative action is and how to lift the traffic off the road. The An Coimisiún Pleanála process could go on for years more. This issue has been ongoing since I became a councillor in 1999. The practical solutions have never been taken. I am asking the Minister how he can stand over a city that has failed to roll out the most basic solution to traffic congestion - park and ride - on the western side of the city and progress light rail?
I explained in my initial answer that the light rail feasibility study, as the Deputy knows, had been published. What I am trying to say is how all of that knits together. The road is an important part of it. A simple question that I could ask in countering what the Deputy said, and respecting the position she is taking, is whether the traffic situation in Galway would be better with an outer ring road. It would be, unquestionably. We want to get people out of cars, too. I am a supporter of light rail, heavy rail and public transport. We want to see it and we are seeing rail lines open across the country now and, building on the work of my predecessor, we intend to accelerate that.
I take the Deputy’s point in relation to park and ride. She has, to be fair, raised it on a number of occasions here before. Something I will be cognisant of is how in the interim the situation can be made better. However, I would earnestly hope that should a positive decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála be made then that decision is accepted and we can move on with it.
One of the reasons for the continued delay has been continued objection to the road. Deputy Connolly mentioned the reason the board turned it down. It was for climate reasons and that is fine. Deputy Connolly represents Galway West and knows the city better than me. I have a lot of friends in Galway and I speak to many people. Most people are very supportive of an outer ring road. Deputy Connolly is in Galway every day of the week. I am not there as frequently as she is but I am there quite often. Going down Lough Atalia Road, trying to get through Salthill on the way to south Connemara at any time during the day-----
The question was about park and ride.
I have said I will take cognisance of this and, in fairness, Deputy Connolly has raised it previously. Certainly it is something on which I will revert with regard to what other measures can be taken in the interim. We are doing work on the commuter rail network as Deputy Connolly knows. Significant work is being done at Ceannt Station, Oranmore Station and other stations. I take Deputy Connolly's point on park and ride and I will revert to her on it.
Rail Network
100. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to reintroduce catering services on rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51698/25]
The Minister mentioned he was in Heuston Station this morning. I saw him there with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. He may have noticed the 7 a.m. train from Tralee, which came in shortly before he arrived without any catering service on it. We would think between the lot of the Ministers who were down there that they might be able to sort it out. I do not want to be flippant but after I raised this on the previous occasion someone wrote to me in verse: Will you ask the Minister for Transport what does he think? Four hours is a long time without something to drink.
Not being flippant but I also saw some really good shops in Heuston Station, and good work has been done at stations throughout the network whereby people can buy a drink, a bottle of water or a cup of tea. Having said this, to be fair-----
There are other people who cannot go to the shop.
What was that?
Keep going Minister, please, without interruption.
I will answer Deputy Daly. This is an issue he has raised previously with regard to when catering services will be rolled out again. I completely understand people's wish to see services return on all rail lines. However, if there is a choice between the taxpayer funding actual rail services or catering services on trains I am clear, as I have been previously, that taxpayer funding is best directed towards providing rail services themselves.
I understand from Iarnród Éireann that it has been working to restore catering services where possible following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions on rail services. It has been engaging extensively with a range of operators in the market. However, the reality is that costs have significantly increased, at up to four times the previous levels quoted. Iarnród Éireann has had to deliver the service on a limited basis, within the available funding.
A full tender process was undertaken for catering services across the Intercity network within current public service obligation funding. While the costs have been determined, Iarnród Éireann has only been in a position to restore catering services on the Dublin to Cork route with an Irish company, Carriage Food Services Limited, on an interim basis. As Deputy Daly knows, on-board catering is also available on the Dublin to Belfast Enterprise service, which is jointly operated by Iarnród Éireann and Translink and provided under a separate contract. The company continues to engage with the NTA and my Department on what is an important matter to people.
I agree that we have raised this issue previously. In fact, back in February we received a reply that the tendering process had been progressed and was at an advanced stage with costings established, and that it was with the NTA for funding. Is there any need to outsource it to a company that will charge a seven-figure amount? When I was a student and after that, Iarnród Éireann directly employed people in its catering section to sell the items in question. We are speaking about trains going from Sligo and Mayo to Dublin and the Tralee service, which is probably the longest journey in the country at four hours. People are forced to make these long journeys with no access to catering. They cannot wait until they arrive at Heuston Station. There are many elderly customers on their way to meet consultants in Dublin or going to medical appointments. They do not have a cup of water on the journey for four hours. Promises have been made and nothing has been done.
Deputy Daly can come back in. The Minister to respond.
To answer Deputy Daly's question, I have encouraged Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other avenues to support the wider reintroduction of catering services. I was honest with Deputy Daly about the costs. If the NTA were to award a contract at four times the cost of what operated prior to Covid, questions would rightly be asked about it. I have asked the NTA and Iarnród Éireann to explore other options and to revert to me. I hope these discussions might bear fruit shortly. I will keep Deputy Daly informed on it.
I do think it is important, and I was not being flippant earlier, that there has been significant investment in our stations, including from an accessibility perspective. Yesterday in the Department I met a disabled transport user group. They were very informative on their lived experience about accessibility. Our facilities across our Intercity rail stations have greatly improved but we are exploring other options.
On many of the trains the facilities are there. There is a counter there.
I know.
What is wrong with employing someone to sell a packet of crisps or some water? This suspension of services was only supposed to be a temporary measure during Covid. As we know, passenger numbers have increased. The service is continuing without any catering. It was not meant to be the new normal. I cannot understand how the mentality is fixed in their brains that they cannot directly employ someone and make them an employee of Iarnród Éireann. I am not even talking about providing hot food but they could provide a cup of tea or a bottle of water. This surely should not be too hard to establish. It would not cost a seven-figure sum to employ people such as this on all of the services throughout the country. It is fine having it on the Dublin to Cork service, which is a two-and-a-half hour journey, and on the Belfast service, which we have used ourselves, but what about the rest of the country?
I do get the point. A number of our rail cars and rail lines have the facilities on the trains. I have looked, and I have asked Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other options, including the option Deputy Daly has articulated here today. I am hopeful this will bear fruit shortly. Deputy Daly has asked this question regularly, as have Government colleagues. I understand the position. I will revert once the discussions have concluded and we have options that would be affordable and would make sense whereby we are not paying out more money through the PSO when those moneys could be used to provide additional services. Deputies here understandably look for additional services because more and more people are using public transport. There were 330 million passenger journeys last year. There has been an increase already year on year of approximately 10.5%. People are responding to the better services that are there but we still need to work to improve them.
Public Transport
101. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department is taking to improve regional and rural transport connectivity in the west of Ireland, with particular reference to rail and bus links serving County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51780/25]
Will the Minister outline the steps he and the Department are taking to improve regional connectivity, particularly rail and bus services in Mayo?
I thank Deputy Lawless for raising the importance of rail and bus connectivity in County Mayo. As Minister of State at the Department with responsibility for rural transport, I am delighted to say we have seen considerable investment in services throughout the country under the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan. In County Mayo especially, funding has gone up by 56% over the past two years. We saw a boost in passenger numbers by 72% between 2023 to 2024. As Deputy Lawless knows quite well, a great example of this continued investment can be seen in the launch of routes 460a and 460b, as recently as Monday of this week. These new routes will offer connectivity to regional bus services, Castlebar Station, Mayo hospital and the villages and areas between Castlebar and Achill Island.
I am also pleased to share that in July of this year, Ireland's first-ever smart demand-responsive transport service was launched in Achill in Deputy Lawless's county. I commend the Minister, Deputy Calleary, for his role in this, along with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. This pilot marks a major milestone in rural mobility innovation. It is a flagship initiative designed to revolutionise how rural communities access public transport. As Deputy Lawless knows, the service introduces a flexible, door-to-door, app-based transport model tailored to local needs, offering greater convenience, accessibility and frequency. I and my colleagues in the Department look forward to seeing reports on its implementation over the coming months.
As Deputy Lawless knows, Connecting Ireland has been a major success, with over 175 new or improved services since 2022, linking 240-plus towns and villages to public transport.
It has delivered 61 healthcare connections, including connections in the Deputy's county of Mayo, 41 connections to higher education and 71 linking to rail. In 2024 alone, nearly 8 million passenger journeys were made. Our Department supports the continued expansion of rural transport in line with our commitments in the programme for Government.
Will the Minister of State please focus on regional rail? The Dublin to Westport line has had no significant upgrades in quite some time. From Westport to Athlone, we are still operating off a single-carriage line. The distance from Westport to Dublin is 262 km. The journey takes three hours and 20 minutes, which means that the average speed is 80 km/h. There are tractors in Mayo that can reach 80 km/h.
Can the Deputy tell us which tractors?
A Massey Ferguson.
The distance between Cork and Dublin is the same. Trains on that route reach Dublin in two and a half hours. The TGV in France has an average speed of 300 km/h. With such average speeds, it would be possible to get from Westport to Dublin in under an hour. In many cases, the people of Mayo are waiting in Roscommon for half an hour for a train to pass because of the single line and because the speeds needs to be increased.
I call on the Minister of State to respond. The Deputy will have another minute.
Does the Minister of State have any plans to upgrade the Dublin to Westport line-----
The Deputy will have another minute.
-----particularly with regard to the speed of the trains?
I want to get the details of the tractor the Deputy is referring to because that would be a fair old tractor no matter where you are coming from. Without being flippant, the Deputy is right. The Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan is important. As he knows, the Government is very much committed to rural Ireland. This year's all-island strategic rail review made 33 strategic recommendations, which include a proposal to reinstate the western rail corridor with a connection between Athenry and Claremorris. In addition, the review also noted other potential developments, including improved rail service frequency between Mayo and Athlone through the building of more passing loops. The Deputy makes a good point regarding frequency, connectivity and speed. It is all about ensuring the west of Ireland benefits equally, as the Minister, Deputy O'Brien has referenced, for example, through the upgrades at Ceannt Station and Oranmore Station. It is also about the expansion of rural transport in County Mayo under Connecting Ireland. I do not have time to go through them but the Deputy will know the routes in County Mayo that have been significantly improved and which are seeing increasing passenger numbers.
The big point is that in recent years the housing crisis has pushed a lot of people from Mayo out of Dublin. Covid and working conditions also played a role. We have seen many young people returning to live in Mayo and commuting to Dublin, if you can believe it. Many of these people travel to Dublin one, two or three days a week. The point I am making is that a journey of almost three and half hours on the train line from Mayo is unacceptable. The average speed is 80 km/h. Does the Minister of State have any plans to increase capacity and speed and develop a double carriageway rather than a single one in order that the people of Mayo can get to Dublin in a timely fashion? The distance from Cork to Dublin is the same, but there is a difference of an hour in the commute time. It is about two and half hours versus just under three and half. That is the point. Does the Minister of State have any plans to improve the line?
I thank Deputy Lawless and remind him that the Government has invested €84 million in the rural transport programme. Some €116 million has been allocated to regular rural services. In addition, €40 million has been allocated to new services including new town services under Connecting Ireland and BusConnects. There has been success in rural transport. Some 70% of those living outside our cities will have access to public transport services providing at least three return trips to a nearby town each weekday. I take the Deputy's point about people moving back home. There is the housing challenge, which Government is committed to, but more than 100 new county town connections from settlements around county towns and 60 new regional intercity connections of all types have been put in place. Government is committed to rural Ireland. We are committed to investing in public transport. The proof is the envelope, that is, the funding I have outlined to the Deputy. We are investing. Contrast that with ten years ago and look at where we are today. There is a much better service and much better connectivity with an increased population.
I am glad the Minister of State mentioned ten years ago.
The Deputy is out of time.
Aviation Industry
102. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport which actions under the National Policy Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems his Department will lead on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48563/25]
I have raised the issue of the lack of regulation for commercial delivery drones in the House on a number of occasions. Over the summer, the Minister published the National Policy Framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Which of the 16 actions set out within that document fall directly within the remit of the Department of Transport? What is the Minister's action plan regarding the implementation of those actions?
I thank Deputy O'Gorman. He has indeed raised this matter here before. I launched the National Policy Framework on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or drones, on 20 August 2025, making Ireland one of the first European Union member states to publish a dedicated policy in relation to drones. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning for, and the development of, the UAS sector in Ireland through supporting growth and innovation while, really importantly, ensuring safe and secure operations and managing environmental, community and other concerns.
Many of the issues addressed in the policy framework fall directly within my remit and that of the Department of Transport while other issues cross over into the areas of responsibility of other Departments and agencies. The policy framework was developed through cross-departmental engagement structures and will be implemented through similar structures. It proposes a number of structures and actions that aim to address concerns in relation to increasing UAS usage and operations in balance with the realisation of the economic and societal benefits from this emerging drone sector.
The policy framework proposes 16 actions in three main areas: the use of airspace and planning; compliance and enforcement; and enterprise and innovation. Implementation of the policy framework relies on a cross-governmental approach and the continuation of engagement and support from various Government Departments, agencies, the UAS sector itself and, really importantly, the public.
My Department will shortly be making arrangements for the establishment of a national UAS policy framework monitoring group and the associated working groups to be established under the framework. That monitoring group, which will be chaired by my Department, will monitor, guide and support the implementation of the policy framework and, really importantly, the delivery of actions.
The Minister notes that this is the first framework of its type in Europe. I hope the rest of Europe is not going to be taking this document as inspiration because it is deeply disappointing. It fails to deal with the issues I and others have been raising throughout this time. People in my community in Dublin 15 are asking that four fundamental issues be addressed. These are privacy, noise, planning status and safety. There is no clarity in this document as to when these issues are going to be addressed. We are seeing a fundamental societal change in my neighbourhood right now. Thousands of journeys that take place on our roads have moved into the sky. It is not that they are going to move; they are in the sky right now. They are in the sky tonight. The regulatory structure that may well make that okay is not in place. The document the Minister has produced does not give us any clarity on when that regulatory structure will be in place. That is not acceptable.
I know the Deputy's area very well. We have adjacent constituencies. I have spoken to many people in the Blanchardstown-Castleknock area. There has been a change. Many deliveries are being made by drone that would have been made by car, van and other methods. That is another consideration and something to think about. Do we want more traffic or do we want drones? We have to manage that with communities. Deputy Coppinger can laugh all she likes.
No, I cannot. I am suffering this every day.
Nothing is right with Deputy Coppinger. She suffers everything.
I suffer drones over my head.
The reality is that this is an emerging sector. It is in its infancy. We can be at the leading edge of innovation in this sector. To answer the Deputy's question directly, the implementation of this framework is the whole purpose of the monitoring group. We have to start from somewhere. We are one of the first countries, if not the first, to publish such a framework document. It will be managed within my Department and will report to me. We will have input from communities, as we have already had, from professional operators and from the technological side. It is an advancing industry and sector that we should embrace. It needs to be done in conjunction with communities, however.
I know of no other innovative cutting-edge technology sector where that technology is just let loose without any regulatory structures being put in place.
This is new and innovative. Maybe it is a good thing but it has been allowed to happen without regulation. There is no regulation or clarity on whether planning permission is required for a drone base. There is no way to deal with noise complaints. When representatives of Dublin City Council came before a committee, they were very clear. Section 108 of the EPA Act stops the council from dealing with noise pollution.
Can I draw the attention of the Minister to actions 15 and 16, which state that the UAS sector, in conjunction with the Irish Aviation Authority, will establish and promote relevant test sites and the Irish Aviation Authority will promote processes that allow for the allocation of airspace for experimental and developing UAS operations? There is an experiment taking place in Dublin 15 without any regulatory structures. That is not acceptable and I will work to put in place the regulatory structures the Department is not delivering.
We are working with the sector, communities and the public. We had a lot of engagement on-----
It is too late. It is already-----
Sorry Deputy, you have had your time. The Minister is responding.
Hold on a second. Deputy O'Gorman knows there are regulations in place. They are EU regulations. The IAA is charged with-----
It does not deal with noise.
Deputy.
There are regulations. The Deputy has stated on the record of the House that there are no regulations. That is not true. It is incorrect. That might work at a public meeting he is at or hosting with Deputy Coppinger to try to drum up further discontent.
Undoubtedly, there are people impacted by it and that is why we need to ensure that there are proper designated zones and proper planning is followed. This is a sector in its relative infancy, however. It has grown very quickly. The previous Administration and Minister for Transport did not deal with this. In a few short months, I have brought out something we can work with and on which we can base the implementation on which we can base what we do next regarding further regulation in Ireland. We have done that within a very short space of time. Contrast that with my predecessor.
Public Transport
103. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Transport for an update on a direct route from the Dublin 15 area to Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51872/25]
I note Fianna Fáil had a meeting on drones in Dundrum.
My question relates to a direct bus route from the greater Blanchardstown area to Dublin Airport. Thousands of people work in the airport and many people have to get to it. Recently, Ongar Tidy Towns has been informed by the NTA that the expected roll-out of an N8 service has now been delayed for at least two years.
I thank the Deputy. She will be aware that such a route is planned to be introduced as part of BusConnects, which is the largest-ever investment programme in the bus system in the history of the State, funded by the Government on behalf of our citizens and managed by the NTA. Since its commencement in 2021, BusConnects Dublin has seen over 100 new double-decker electric buses enter into service across Dublin, with significant investment made in depot electrification to support the buses, as well as the implementation of multiple phases of new bus services under the network redesign. Earlier this summer, I was delighted to attend the contract signing of the first of the 12 core BusConnects corridors with construction of one to start this year and another to enter construction next year. The first is Liffey Valley to Dublin city centre, which will be a game-changer.
As the Deputy is aware, I know Blanchardstown very well. I am pleased to say that the new N8 route will connect Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, with Clongriffin via Dublin Airport. The specific timing for the introduction of the route will depend on operational readiness but it could potentially be introduced within the next year. To be clear, next year, that is, by the end of 2026, is what we are working towards, depending on operational readiness.
I am not sure where the information Ongar Tidy Towns has is from; it is obviously well meaning. This route is required. The Deputy is correct to say that thousands of her constituents work in the airport. That is why I back the airport. I want to make sure the airport can continue to grow, we can support the jobs in it and ensure there is a good public transport connection between Dublin 15 and the Dublin West area and the airport.
Residents in Dublin 15 will continue to benefit from the multiple commuter train stations in the area. They will also benefit from the significant investment planned for commuter rail services under DART+ West, which will commence construction under this Government. That is more good news for the area. I will come back in.
Fair play to the civil servant who padded out that answer for the Minister because my question was not about BusConnects. Rather, it was about a specific issue. The Minister dealt with that issue in a couple of sentences and the information is very similar. They have been told the project will be delivered in quarter 3 of 2026, which is next year. Given that people have been told it is subject to operational readiness and the recruitment of drivers, realistically no one expects the service to be delivered in 2026. It could take even longer.
As for the problems this is causing, some of my constituents have to get up at 4 a.m. to get to the airport. It is something that takes people 15 minutes to drive to at a good time during the early morning or late at night. I have done so myself. As the crow flies, it is very close by and yet, as people do not have one direct route, they have to get two buses and travel for an hour and a half to two hours, or even longer for those who are from the Ongar area. Some 20,000 people work in the airport and, as the Minister knows, there is discussion about expanding it but people cannot get there.
I look forward to working with the Deputy in the coming weeks and months on our further plans to create more employment in the airport. As the Deputy knows, it is important that the people in my area and hers have good paying jobs to support their families and quality of life.
There is no padded-out answer here. I am putting things in context because there is a lot happening with BusConnects. Dublin 15 is undoubtedly a major growth area with a lot of new communities. We have seen a lot of development there over the past 15 to 20 years, and that is continuing. In the last Government I and the former Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, were in, we saw further substantial development of really good quality homes in that area that need to be supported by good public transport.
I can only give the Deputy an answer based on the question she put forward and the research I have done. I spoke specifically about the N8 route. Of course it will be based on operational readiness and the recruitment of drivers. We have practically full employment in this country. We want to get this route up and running. I will not make a political point but I have given the Deputy the best timeframe I can, which is that the route will be operational by the end of next year.
A taxi from Ongar to Dublin Airport costs €50 to €65, for example. That is what passengers are being forced to spend. We could eliminate 10,000 to 20,000 car journeys immediately by introducing a direct bus route. It should be an absolute priority. Residents have suggested that the Minister might consider extending the W4 route to the airport until the N8 is finally rolled out. Realistically, they believe that could take a number of years. Such a decision would allow for typical operational slippages of approximately two years across the BusConnects roll-out.
There are 140,000 residents in Dublin 15 and 105,000 in Lucan and Clondalkin who could benefit directly from the extension of this bus service. We need this urgently in order to avoid more expense and to reduce the life hassle people who work in the airport face in trying to get there.
I thank the Deputy. I will take on board the suggestion she made on the W4 route to the airport in the interim. I have given her the best answer I can in regard to the N8 route. There are lots of good things happening all across Dublin in regard to public transport and we want to build on the progress that has been made over the past five years, no less so in Dublin 15. I will not again list all of the various capital projects that are happening. I am sure there are many public meetings being held on the basis of the significant investment that the Government is making in public transport in Dublin 15.
I will take on board the Deputy's suggestion on the W4 route to the airport and revert to her directly. I will keep the pressure on in regard to the N8. I believe in BusConnects. The programme and route redesign has been very good and we will now see the core corridors, the first of which begins construction this year. That is a really good thing. We need to improve the lot for our commuters and those trying to get to work and school and go about their daily lives. I am committed to doing that.
Questions Nos. 104 to 106, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
Legislative Programme
107. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the programme for Government commitment to create a transport security force under the National Transport Authority, which would operate and have similar powers to the airport police and customs officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51713/25]
Everyone in the House agrees it is important for commuters and people using public transport to feel safe. That is why I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to the creation of a transport security force under the NTA. I am also aware this will require a legislative basis and funding. Could the Minister give us some indication of when this will be rolled out? When will we see the first officers of the force on our buses and trains?
I thank the Deputy for his support for this initiative. It is important we ensure there is safety on our public transport network right across the country. I want to assure him that we are actively progressing the legislative proposals required to deliver on the programme for Government commitment to establish that transport security force.
I have worked very closely with the NTA. I met its chairperson this week and this will form part of the agenda. The work involves careful and informed consideration of the most appropriate model for the force.
I am bottoming that out right now. We have looked at the options and we have key stakeholders engaged, including the NTA, operators, trade unions, passenger groups, An Garda Síochána and the Department of justice. I have met all these groups. I have met the Minister for justice, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, on this issue too. Since assuming office, collectively, I think I have met all those stakeholders at least twice. Another meeting is scheduled very shortly to get a progress update.
We will deliver this. It will operate under the NTA, with powers similar to those held by the airport police and customs officers. Other additions are required, because if we look at the airport police, in particular, that force operates on a specific campus. A transport security force would be able to pursue and would have to be able to detain. We will have to work very closely with An Garda Síochána as well. The Garda has been very successful over the past 18 months in Operation Saul with the number of arrests and convictions the Garda has made, and this operation is specifically focused on our public transport network. I commend the Garda on the work it has done.
We are working to a tight enough timeframe. We will need legislation to come into the House. We will have to consolidate many of the by-laws that already exist. That is a piece of work that is being done right now. Timeframe-wise, and I think I have said it before, I would love to have the legislation passed by the end of next year with the co-operation of the House. If we can do it sooner, it will require pre-legislative scrutiny in the Joint Committee on Transport.
I am a strong advocate and daily user of our public transport system, but the perception and reality on public transport is that people are feeling unsafe. The NTA's security survey shows 40% of people feeling unsafe on public transport. The "Prime Time" programme on RTÉ earlier this year revealed that reported incidents of antisocial behaviour on Dublin Bus specifically rose from 494 in 2019 to just over 1,000 last year. There are real issues there, and this is making public transport less attractive, and especially less attractive for some of the most vulnerable people. From talking to people in my constituency, especially people from the Indian and south Asian minority communities who have experienced an upsurge in racism, I know many have reported that this has happened when they have been trapped on public transport and cannot get away from the aggressor. This is why these measures are going to be so important. If legislation is passed by the end of 2026, would the Minister see this transport police force operating early in 2027?
I think there are ways of doing that and ways perhaps of running recruitment or looking at potential routes to recruitment alongside the legislation. We have to get the operational structures set in place. Consolidation of the legal aspects will be complex but the operational ones should not be. This is why I have already had discussions with the NTA and An Garda Síochána and direct meetings with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. The Department of justice is very supportive of what we are doing.
The Deputy is right in what he said about perception. Looking at the 2024 report published in April, which the Deputy referred to, 90% of passengers said they feel safe on public transport in the early mornings or day time, but that drops to 70% in the evening. Many of those who have a perception of a lack of safety are people who do not actually use public transport. Basically, this issue is putting people off using public transport too. The addition of a dedicated, uniformed transport security force, working closely with An Garda Síochána, will make a significant difference in this regard. I will say more and give the details in my next response regarding the current spending on private security to supplement the Garda.
Will the existing private security go completely when the new transport police force comes in or is there a plan to run it concurrently? I am aware that the creation of something new like this requires legislation and a dedicated budgetary line. Nevertheless, the Minister took office in January 2025, and he is now talking about this service being operational in early 2027. That is a fair time but I do not think much beyond that would be. This is a doable proposition and something the Minister has been advocating for. It is important that timeline is stuck to closely. Due to the greater investment in public transport up to this point, at least, we have seen a very large increase in the number of people using our public transport network. If people feel unsafe, they will not continue to move in those numbers. The figures we both quoted here are concerning. They need to be addressed and I see this transport police force as a key element in doing so.
I genuinely thank the Deputy for his support for this force. If we can work together in a collegial way across the House, we will be able to advance the legislation quicker. We will need a fair wind to be able to have it all passed by next year and have recruitment for the force in place. It will have to be rolled out on a phased basis. It is my earnest desire to have the force in place in 2027. Iarnród Éireann security spending is up 41%. To answer the Deputy's earlier question, when this force is in place, I do not see it being the case that every other private security presence will be stood down. I think we could potentially work with that network to look at people who are already qualified to work in these roles.
I just want to put a few things on the record. Iarnród Éireann's security spending is up 41% and this equates to around €11 million in 2025. Twenty rapid response hubs have been established across the inner-city network. Dublin Bus has expanded its safer journey team to three units in north, south and central Dublin. There are 11 internal CCTV cameras on all buses, with three external CCTV cameras fitted on the modern fleet vehicles. Bus Éireann has CCTV across its fleet, with 24-7 emergency support available. The Luas has 58 full-time security staff who wear body cameras and patrol the Red and Green lines. There are certain blackspots. Dublin Bus, in particular, has responded to this issue and there is a particular focus to stamp out antisocial behaviour. Such behaviour is not acceptable anywhere and particularly not on our public transport network. It should be stamped out. That is why I think the creation of this security force will assist in that.
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Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.