I thank the Deputy for his question. I welcome the publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council's annual sectoral review of the transport sector. I recently met with the council and, separately, with its chair, Marie Donnelly. We had a very constructive discussion. My Department and I will be reviewing this report and its recommendations. I certainly will take them into account as we update our approach to the next iteration of the climate action plan later this year, which will be its 26th iteration. The annual report from the CCAC is a critical input into our policy approach. While there has been an unprecedented level of investment in sustainable transport and electric vehicle, EV, supports over recent years, I fully agree with the council's assessment that we are not yet achieving the pace of change required to achieve our 2030 climate objectives. The report acknowledges that, despite challenges, good progress has been made, particularly in the increased usage and expansion of public transport services, which we debated last week, with broad acknowledgement across the House of progress made. That progress has benefited from the Government's support for reduced public transport fees, which we will further expand later this year by way of free transport for five- to eight-year-olds. We are confident we will achieve our electric vehicle, EV, targets for 2025, with 177,000 EVs on the road at this point of the year and a continued rebound in EV sales. Public transport passenger numbers are now at record levels, registering more than 1 million journeys daily. Our renewable fuel blending ambitions are on target as well, with a growing number of private sector entities ramping up their use of low-carbon fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, and compressed natural gas, CNG.

Sentiment score: 0.23

I said last week that I am reviewing the EV grants. We have made significant progress. The Deputy referred to the reduction in growth in that sector last year but he did not mention that quarter 1 of this year saw a significant rebound in EV sales and registrations. Today, I brought to Government a policy on renewable fuels for transport, which sets out the ambition in this regard. It takes into account the sustainability issues the CCAC has, rightly, highlighted. No one is denying, in any way, shape or form, the challenges ahead in meeting our very exacting targets. However, if we look at where we have come from in regard to EVs, electrification of the public transport fleet and alternative fuel use by the heavy goods vehicle, HGV, sector and by the bus fleet across the country, progress has undoubtedly been made. I respect the work of the CCAC, which is why I met its members in plenary session. The chair was there and I met her separately as well. I value the council's input and it will inform any policy changes we make into the future.

Sentiment score: 0.22

We are trying to cover a lot in a short time. We will have a chance to go through a lot of these points in more detail at the transport committee, which is meeting tomorrow, and at the environment committee. Regarding EV charging, under the motorway infrastructure scheme, 131 additional high-powered charging points across 17 different locations on the motorway network will be delivered by the end of this year. There is also a scheme to fund high-powered charging on national primary routes, with 175 high-powered charging points to be provided at 53 different locations. The infrastructure is certainly increasing and will increase further. The Deputy referred to issues with accessibility to EVs in respect of income and in areas that do not have as much public transport as others. I am looking at options, as I said here last week, for how I can reframe the grants. That will potentially require Government approval. I am also looking at options regarding second-hand EVs, which I will bring forward later this year. I will be happy to share those proposals with the transport committee once they are approved.

Sentiment score: 0.28

I thank the Deputy for his question on what is a real and important issue for public transport users. We debated it in some detail yesterday. Particularly among those who do not use public transport often, they can have a certain perception of the level of safety on it. To the Deputy's specific question, antisocial behaviour is a broad societal issue to which public transport is not immune. It is those passengers and staff who regularly use and work within our public transport network who are most directly impacted by any safety or security incidents that occur. We have a strong commitment in the programme for Government to create a transport security force under the NTA, which would operate similarly and have similar powers to airport police and customs officers. That will supplement the work already being done by An Garda Síochána. I assure the Deputy that I am taking this commitment forward as a priority. Work is under way in my Department, in conjunction with the NTA, to identify the most appropriate organisational structure to progress it. Last week, my Department officials and I met the Minister for justice and his team to examine the role they will have in the establishment of the force. We will continue that engagement towards its implementation to ensure the positive collaboration between An Garda Síochána and the operators is maintained. We are in the preliminary stages of this deliberative process and it is important to note that the introduction of such a force will require the development of legislation. Work will also be required in respect of existing by-laws. I will be looking for the co-operation and assistance of all parties in this regard because most will see the benefits of the creation of this force, which will be an additional resource to the very good work already being done by An Garda Síochána. We need to make sure that, as we continue to expand our public transport system, this force will be in place on all public transport operators, whether on road, trains or the Luas.

Sentiment score: 0.46

I agree on that point. An Garda Síochána is doing a good job already. The Deputy will be aware of Operation Saul. That is under way. To take the Dublin metropolitan region, the area in which we have the best data in this regard, as an example, there are gardaí delivering both overt and covert policing on bus, Luas, DART and other train services. In 2024, the operation resulted in 754 arrests, 1,289 charges preferred and 280 summonses. Between 1 January 2025 and 21 March 2025, there were 194 arrests and 381 charges preferred, so the Garda is doing its job. The Government committed to providing additional gardaí in the programme for Government and we intend to fulfil that commitment. The transport security force will have a very specific role. It will support the work of An Garda Síochána but, working with the operators, it will particularly focus on the black spots, the areas where the predominance of antisocial behaviour occurs, in order to stamp that out at the start.

Sentiment score: 0.13

We have a public transport safety working group on which unions, workers and operators are represented. I have met these representatives. We will be discussing this in more detail. I assure the Deputy that, when the proposals in this regard become clear, I will be seeking their input. I do not have an exact timeframe for the Deputy. Suffice it to say that this is an important priority. We first have to agree the way forward as regards the structure of the force. It will operate under the NTA but we need to consider its interaction with An Garda Síochána, from which it will be separate. We will then need to draft legislation. In the meantime, An Garda Síochána is working on this. Security spending in Iarnród Éireann was up 41% in 2025. It is the same with Dublin Bus. It has three dedicated units operating in north, south and central Dublin. As of February 2025, Bus Éireann operates a mobile security unit. The Luas also has its own security force. That will continue while we continue to prepare legislation to establish the force.

Sentiment score: 0.19

The Taoiseach is not here.

Sentiment score: 0.00

Thanks.

Sentiment score: 0.44

We will all be travelling on buses together soon. I use the bus a lot but not in Wicklow. I am aware, as the Deputy obviously is, that Go-Ahead Ireland has experienced difficulties in maintaining service levels, particularly in the first quarter of this year, primarily due to a shortage of mechanics. In response, the company took a number of remedial actions, including bringing in additional mechanics from Britain and securing further technical support from external sources. I understand that the situation has improved significantly since then, not necessarily on every route, with fleet availability returning to normal within a relatively short period. Go-Ahead Ireland has reported that since January, eight new engineering staff have joined the company and 129 drivers have started in the driving school. In addition, Go-Ahead Ireland has completed overseas recruitment, with ten engineers expected to start in September. The NTA monitors the performance of all public transport operators, as the Deputy will know. Under existing contractual arrangements, financial penalties apply where performance falls below agreed standards. The NTA continues to engage with Go-Ahead Ireland to enhance service reliability. Having said that, things will happen but we need to ensure as best as possible that punctuality and reliability and, underpinning that, affordability happen. I instructed the NTA to carry out a review of the ghost bus phenomenon, for want of a better phrase, and I continue to keep that positive pressure on in my supporting role as Minister to make sure that people can be assured that buses which are scheduled arrive on time. In my supplementary reply, I will provide a little more detail of what will happen in the coming period. I have initial information from review; I do not have the completed information on it. If there are any particular matters relating to Wicklow or anywhere else as regards buses not showing up, I want to know about it.

Sentiment score: 0.20

There is still work to be done. We are adding new routes. As everyone knows, in all sectors, but particularly around drivers and mechanics, there have been shortages of workers because it is a very competitive environment. We have commenced further recruitment across all our transport operators. We started the review in spring. Two of the main reasons for buses not showing up are, one, late notification by operators of cancelled and curtailed services, with that resulting in incorrect information being given to customers, and, two, technical issues with the older bus automatic vehicle location equipment. That equipment is being replaced with live data on each bus. This will improve the service greatly from 2026. We have to continue to monitor the situation. The Deputy is right to raise complaints, certainly, but let us not lose sight of the fact that we had a record number of passenger journeys last year. We are at about 1 million public transport passenger journeys every day now.

Sentiment score: 0.08

The transparency around this is there. The operators have to report on service level agreements. When specific issues arise, a lot of the time I see that people will tweet the NTA on X, send emails or whatever. I get text messages regularly, including from my daughter if a bus does not show up when she is travelling to DCU, so I know from my family that this happens from time to time. There can be understandable reasons for this. We need to build up the human resources within each of the operators. Go-Ahead Ireland has very specific issues relating to staffing. What I was not happy about at the time - and it was early in my tenure - was the fact that I had no sight of those issues to know that its resources were that tight. It has addressed that matter since, and fair play to it for doing so. Fines are levied. In 2024, operators were fined just short of €1.5 million by the NTA for not meeting their service level agreements. We have to continually watch this to ensure that we have a reliable, punctual service.

Sentiment score: 0.07

I am aware of the regulations and the legislation. The Chicago convention of 1944 is the main international treaty that governs the operation of international civil aviation. Article 35 of that convention provides that no civil aircraft may carry munitions of war in the sovereign territory of a state without that state's permission. That provision is implemented in Irish law in the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989. Under these orders, the carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil 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 have been received and no exemptions have been granted for the carriage of munitions of war to any point in Israel. Any exemption granted is not a permission to carry munitions of war from one foreign state to another. It is only in respect of the operation of such a flight through Irish sovereign territory. The granting of an exemption permits entry to and exit from Irish sovereign territory. When an application for an exemption is refused, the flight must redirect. I am aware of media reports that allege several air operators have flown through Irish sovereign territory while carrying munitions of war without the required permission. My officials have engaged in examining those allegations, communicating with the air operators concerned, collating the information and scrutinising the data gathered. We are committed to completing this examination to a standard that will support any further action that may be necessitated. These are allegations. Unfortunately, the nature of the examination genuinely means it is not possible right now for me to provide a completion date but I assure the House that officials are working diligently towards its conclusion.

Sentiment score: -0.13

A lot has been made of the increased number of exemptions. People try to link that somewhat to the start of the conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and Israel. From October 2023, there has been an increase in exemptions granted to Irish-registered aircraft operating outside of Ireland. A substantial number of Irish aircraft operate in other territories. This increase is linked to the Scandinavian operation of the SAS Group, particularly SAS Connect, an Irish-based airline. This subsidiary of SAS Group operates a fleet of 30 aircraft with bases in Copenhagen, London, Heathrow and Stockholm. A lot of these exemptions are nothing to do with Irish sovereign territory or airspace; it is Irish-registered aircraft flying elsewhere. The type of exemptions granted are not for munitions of war at all. They can be personal, a weapon or a member of An Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces.

Sentiment score: 0.05

When serious allegations and complaints like this are made, I, as Minister, take them seriously. It behoves us to afford the time to carry out a proper investigation and interrogate the data given to us. We are in regular contact with all air operators. With Irish airspace being one of the main entry points across the Atlantic, I instructed Department officials to further remind all air carriers and operators of their responsibilities under international and domestic Irish law and of notification procedures. We receive many notifications of flight manifests and so on. I take this seriously. I mentioned media reports, and yes, complaints have been made. The people who made the complaints deserve that they be properly investigated. We will do that. I cannot give a definite timeframe for the conclusion of that work. It is important and I want to bring it to a conclusion as expeditiously as possible.

Sentiment score: -0.07