Climate Action Plan
87. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the recently published annual review of the transport sector by the Climate Change Advisory Council, CCAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34494/25]
Is the Minister aware that the CCAC's recently published annual review of the transport sector is clear that the Government is failing when it comes to a just transition? There are serious problems in the transport sector because it is Ireland's biggest source of energy demand. Last year, transport emissions reduced by only a tiny 1.3%.
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.
I do not agree with the Minister's claim about all the progress being made. In fact, progress is stalling and any gains that have been made are quickly being overtaken because the plan is not delivering. We definitely will miss the target of having 1 million EVs on Irish roads by the end of the decade. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has said we will probably miss it by up to 300,000. Sales of new EVs have fallen by 24% and there was an 8.1% decline in used imports.
We are also falling way behind in the roll-out of the charging infrastructure, with a deficit in rural areas in particular. At the end of 2024, there were 2,802 publicly accessible charging points. That is seven per 10,000 people, compared with 13 per 10,000 in Britain. As with retrofitting, it is only those with significant means who can afford to participate in the grant scheme. There is a serious problem in that EVs are more accessible for middle-class people than for working-class people.
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.
Does the Minister accept there is a problem with accessibility and affordability in rural areas and less well-off areas? Will he make any provision in the next budget to broaden the grant scheme to make it more accessible and affordable and, perhaps, as the CCAC suggested, extend it to second-hand EVs in order that people who have less money can afford to purchase one?
The EPA's assessment of ports indicates our ports are way behind and that much more must be done to deal with more frequent storms, floods and coastal erosion, particularly on the east coast. What steps are being taken to make ports more resilient to the storms and weather events we will see in future?
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.
Public Transport
88. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the steps he has taken to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers of Dublin Bus in the aftermath of an incident at Mountjoy Square; his plans for a dedicated transport police; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34557/25]
What steps has the Minister taken to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers on Dublin Bus in the aftermath of the very serious incident at Mountjoy Square in April in which a man threatened a bus driver with a gun? Will he outline his plans for a dedicated transport police force?
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.
It is good to hear that work is under way. We would like to see a separate division of An Garda Síochána rather than a separate policing force. I would like to understand the Minister's thoughts on that. Antisocial behaviour and violence on public transport happens in all of our constituencies, not least in my own constituency of Dublin South-West. It does not often get too much public attention. I am thankful that our community in Dublin South-West is working constructively to reduce these issues. We hold monthly transport forum meetings between local gardaí, juvenile liaison officers, Dublin Bus drivers, Luas drivers, the local council - that is important - local community groups, youth groups and public representatives to try to ensure drivers and passengers can experience a safe environment on public transport. An Garda Síochána is really throwing the kitchen sink at this but it needs more and it needs it quickly.
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.
I will press the Minister again to provide a more defined timeline for this. When does he think it is going to be done? Has the Minister looked at the Travel Safe policy document prepared by SIPTU? Has he met SIPTU or any other interested parties yet? I suggest that he do. There is one proposal from SIPTU I was particularly taken with. It related to public transport assistance units. These would be social care intervention officers specifically trained to deal with those causing a public disturbance on the public transport network. This would be more applicable to interventions in respect of underlying social care issues. These officers would work with the transport police in whatever format that force took. I ask the Minister to really consider that because, from talking to the JLO in my area at our Tallaght transport forum meetings, I know that is the way forward if we are talking about interventions and ASBOs on public transport. Some 80% to 90% of young people do not reoffend after a JLO intervention. That is to be preferred to a court or criminal intervention.
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.
89. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he will report on Local Link; if he is taking steps to expand its capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34495/25]
On bus routes in west Kerry, there is a shortage of bus stop signage, poles and paper schedules. In Baile na nGall, there is a parking exclusion zone, so buses cannot turn properly. In Lios Póil, there is no dedicated bus stop, so many people have been caught out because they did not know where to stand when the bus was going past. This is symptomatic of the lack of infrastructure for Local Link services. The International Institute for Management Development has said Ireland's infrastructure is the area in which our performance is weakest and the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has said it rates very low when compared to other European countries.
I call the Taoiseach.
The Taoiseach is not here.
Excuse me. I meant the Minister. It is getting late.
Thanks.
It is a sign of things to come.
I thank Deputy Daly for his question. Infrastructure is a matter that has been raised by many Local Link companies. Arising from the Indecon review, it is important that we look at the issues the Deputy has raised in consultation with TFI and the NTA. They are valid concerns but there are also issues in respect of safety, the suitability of certain stops' locations and certain signage. I will work with the Deputy and my colleagues in the Department to ensure the concerns the Deputy has raised are taken on board. They have also been expressed to me by some of the people concerned. If Deputy Daly would like to give me details of the issues in west Kerry, I would be happy to talk to him about them. I will also come down to visit if the Deputy would like me to.
Of course, the Minister of State is more than welcome any time. Perhaps we could take a bus trip around west Kerry during the recess. That applies to the Minister as well. There is a feeling that there is a regional imbalance and that the infrastructure is much better in the cities than it is in, for example, west Kerry. Cars are the dominant mode of transport in rural Ireland. They are used for 82% of all trips. The National Transport Authority's latest household travel survey demonstrates that a significant portion of the population does not access public transport services at all. From the massive increase in the numbers accessing the services that have been provided, we see that, when they are provided, people will use them. We can see that from the Local Link services, where demand is outpacing what is being delivered. We have a problem, in that, because of the housing crisis, many students are talking public transport to college. The bus from Ballybunion through Listowel and into Tralee is oversubscribed. Will the Minister of State commit to producing another bus for September?
The Deputy's question is different from the one that was submitted. To provide one figure, under this Government and the last Government, we have seen an increase in funding for the rural transport programme. It has gone from €16 million in 2022 to €25 million last year. As the Deputy will know quite well, we have seen growth in his county of Kerry. For example, route 280 from Waterville to Killorglin was enhanced to improve frequency. We have seen a vast number of other routes being increased across the country. Route 278 from Fenit to Tralee has seen a new service operate seven times daily from Monday to Sunday. The route operates a peak-time and evening service for commuters and provides an additional evening service on Friday and Saturday.
As the Deputy knows, it is about the balance between the demand response and enhancing rural services. As the Indecon report shows, we are committed to a review of governance, performance and structure. We will also be influenced by extensive stakeholder engagement. I have travelled the country and met many of the companies.
The Minister of State will be able to come back in.
The Government is very committed to rural transport.
The Minister of State will have a further supplementary reply.
Another type of rural transport which does not get much of a mention and which has been suggested to me by Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh and people working in her office is the door-to-door services. In many counties, no new door-to-door services have been funded for a number of years. Connecting Ireland funding has generally gone towards high-frequency services, which, of course, are beneficial and have been used a lot but are not the only type of service that is desperately needed. In rural areas of Mayo and other western counties, for people who cannot afford a car or those who no longer drive, the door-to-door network is essential. There are some door-to-door services that operate weekly or biweekly but we need more frequent door-to-door services. Will the Minister of State commit to expanding this type of service in order that people in more rural areas can access public transport like people in the more populated areas?
As the Deputy will be aware from the situation in his county, there are regular rural services and demand-responsive services. These allow passengers to travel from their local villages and towns for business, shopping, healthcare or to connect with the national bus and train network. We are committed in the context of the provision of rural transport to engaging further with stakeholders. As per the Indecon report, we will examine the effectiveness of the existing operations and look at the organisational structure and the governance of our rural transport programme. We will base our recommendations on the outcomes from that and carry out an extensive network of engagement. I have been in Longford, I have been in Waterford and I have been in parts of Cork. I have met with the companies. I have spoken to the former Ministers, Ms Coughlan and Mr. Dukes, in Donegal and Kildare. We will work to ensure that the feedback we receive and review will be the modus operandi we will use in the future in terms of policy. I will be happy to talk to the Deputy and meet with any group in Kerry he wants me to meet.
Bus Services
90. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of ongoing issues with the provision of bus services by a company (details supplied) and the fact that its contract is up for renewal shortly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34357/25]
Is the Minister aware of the ongoing issues with the provision of Go-Ahead Ireland's bus service in County Wicklow and the fact that its contract is up for renewal? I extend an invitation to him to come to Wicklow and stand at a bus stop down there with me and wait for the bus to come, seeing as invitations are being thrown out this evening.
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.
The roll-out started in January, and there were major problems when it started. It has got better. Unfortunately, there are still problems on many routes, including the L2, L1, L3 and L15. The reality is that people who go to get a bus need to know that it will show up. They need more than to think that it might show up or that it will show up most of the time. A bus needs to show up every single time or else people will not use buses and will not be able to trust the service. Unfortunately, that is what is happening in Wicklow, with buses not showing up, buses being late and elderly people having to wait for two hours for an hourly bus that just did not appear. I have had two instances this month of the last bus of the night being cancelled. It is completely unacceptable for that to happen. I raised the matter with the NTA, which stated that this is not to be allowed at all. We have had multiple instances of it, so there are still major problems.
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.
I thank the Minister for that. I acknowledge that there have been improvements, but some routes have been particularly hit. I believe they are those routes in Wicklow. This is one of the problems. When a bus does not show up, it requires the person left standing there to email the NTA, Go-Ahead Ireland or a TD. They usually come to a public representative and say there are problems. When we see that there are multiple problems, we raise the matter here with the Minister. What would be really useful is transparency when it comes to what is being missed. No-Show Bus in Cork was set up by a student there, and there is one in Dublin that was set up by Dublin Inquirer. If we had some sort of system like that, it would bring greater transparency in respect of this problem. If we could see exactly how problematic this is, the difficulties it is causing and on what routes it is causing them, in a more real-time fashion, that would be very useful.
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.
Air Navigation Orders
91. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware of the carriage of Israeli munitions through Irish airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34496/25]
As the Minister probably knows, under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1974 and 1989, it is prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. Is the Minister aware of this? I presume he is. Complaints have been made that Israeli munitions are being carried. Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?
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.
While it is true to say there are media reports, there has been more than that. Complaints have been made to the Department about this. While the Minister says the Department is scrutinising information, a freedom of information request revealed that, on 13 March, a draft report was furnished to the Department. This was denied by the Department in the committee last week, when it said it was an ongoing document. It says in the freedom of information document it is a draft report. For ten months, the Government has done nothing while Israeli bombs, munitions and weaponry have passed through our airspace. Every time there is a flare-up of conflict somewhere else, what is going on in Gaza is forgotten. It is unfortunate that nothing seems to be done. I am worried this report will not be furnished in the three weeks left before the recess. Will the Minister furnish the report before the middle of July?
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.
The Tánaiste said recently it is a real challenge to know what is going through our skies, despite all the notifications. There is clearly a draft report. Will the Minister share it with the House before the recess and let us know what is contained in it? I think most would agree we should do everything to have no part in the slaughter of medical attendants, children and others in Gaza by Israel. We cannot be complacent. We need the facts. We know there are complaints and that the Department is aware. It is not acceptable to stand idly by and wait until the beginning of September before this document is shared with the public.
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.
Rail Network
92. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide details of the funding provided by his Department to improve the rail network and train connectivity in County Offaly in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33880/25]
I thank the Minister of State for taking this question. I am asking him provide details of the funding provided by the Department to improve the rail network and train connectivity in County Offaly in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. I do so because I am constantly being contacted by constituents who are very anxious to see improvements to our rail and connectivity in Offaly, particularly in Clara, which I will refer to later.
I thank the Deputy for the question. As she may be aware, my Department provides public service obligation, PSO, funding for socially beneficial but financially unviable public transport services across the country. In 2023, Iarnród Éireann was allocated €187 million in PSO funding by the Department, increasing to €215 million in 2024. This is expected to further rise to €265 million this year. All of this provides for an improvement to rail passenger services. The funding has enabled Iarnród Éireann to increase the frequency of rail passenger services in County Offaly, including at Clara and Tullamore stations. I highlight the additional weekday and Sunday train services on the Dublin to Galway line, which serves Clara and Tullamore, announced in 2023 and 2024. In addition, last year, train services were added and amended to allow passengers travelling from Tullamore to Galway to avail of two weekday services arriving in Galway in advance of 9 a.m.
In terms of rail infrastructure improvements, assisted by the European Investment Bank Advisory service, the Department, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and rail stakeholders North and South are currently examining how best to implement the recommendations of the all-island strategic rail review published in July last year. This work includes a project prioritisation strategy which is at an advanced stage of preparation. It will consider both short-term and medium-term investments on the rail network, including the Dublin to Galway line. This work is also being used to inform the Department's engagement on the review of the national development plan, which is ongoing. Funding in recent years has helped to provide the people of Offaly with a more frequent rail service. I look forward to working with Iarnród Éireann to build on this progress in the years to come.
I welcome the Minister of State's response and the fact that €265 million has been allocated in funding this year alone. I accept there have been huge improvements in services. My question relates to the need for capital funding for a second platform at Clara train station. I brought this issue up only last week with the Minister during a debate. It would make social and economic sense in achieving balanced regional development in rural counties like Offaly, my county. I would hope there could be some commitment to ensuring capital funding is put in place for a second platform, given that €265 million has been allocated this year alone. It is an easy win for the Department. It is practical, would allow further expansion of services, and would ensure users in surrounding areas like Moate, Kilbeggan and Ferbane could also avail of further services at Clara train station.
The all-island strategic rail review undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland informs the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades up to 2050, in line with net zero targets for both jurisdictions.
The review's final report was published in 2024 and sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system. The EIB advisory services, the Department of Transport and the Department of infrastructure are progressing with this report's recommendations in the year ahead. As part of this project's prioritisation strategy, we will consider how best to optimise the sequencing and implementation of the review recommendations, including both short-term interventions and longer-term projects.
It is important to state a project like a second platform will be one of the interim interventions that could be put in place, but we will wait to see what comes out of the EIB analysis.
I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is certainly positive that there is a review and analysis of our infrastructure, our rail infrastructure in particular. However, I hope there would be a commitment given to the people of Offaly, especially the people of Clara who want to see further development in the town, on capital funding for a second platform. I hope also that the pace of delivery for projects like this, which are there for the taking and would contribute enormously to the expansion of existing services for minimal cost, will be stepped up. As I said, they would also help us achieve a commitment in the programme for Government, namely, balanced regional development in all our rural towns.
I agree with the Deputy. The important point is that the all-Ireland rail review is exactly that; it is about regional development, the cities, connecting the cities and connecting rural Ireland by public transport. When we are realising the recommendations of the review we need to ensure passengers are at the heart of it and have a good experience, so that when they take a train they will be happy to do so again. It is important that when we put in investment we put it in to serve all the island. That is why the review is called the all-island rail review.
I agree with the Deputy that there are opportunities for investment throughout the country to ensure the public transport we deliver is second to none. We can look at the success of the Galway-to-Limerick section of the western rail corridor. Over 630,000 passengers travel on that every year, even though when it opened a number of years ago the figure was 132,000. We have the opportunities, potential and spirit to carry on with that.