101. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Transport if his Department is considering encouraging transport providers to extend public transport operating hours later into the night to facilitate the night-time economy in Dublin. [14878/26]

Sentiment score: 0.21

I want to ask the Minister about how we can support the night time economy by seeing if he is engaging with both public and private transport providers to try to extend operating hours later into the night.

Sentiment score: 0.73

I thank the Minister. I appreciate the feedback on that and that the Minister is engaging with the rail operators, Transdev and Irish Rail, about trying to extend rail services. I represent Dublin Rathdown, which is a constituency adjacent to the city centre constituencies. An awful lot of my constituents raise the point with me all the time that they would go into town more often if they knew that they could get home. We are within a distance from the city centre that it should be easily accessible and affordable. We have taxi services, but like every form of transportation, they do not suit everybody all the time. Many areas in Dublin Rathdown are quite close, and I have personally done the walk from the city centre to Stillorgan many times due to the lack of public transport. I always make sure I wear comfortable shoes. Again, that is not suitable for every person at all times, particularly in our climate. I also represent a constituency with UCD's students, and there is huge potential for them to support the night-time economy.

Sentiment score: 0.24

I listened to the Minister talk about the constraints in the system. It would be remiss of me not to refer to some of the communications I have received this week about our wider transportation service. Hannah was in touch with me about the No. 11 bus route in Clonskeagh. Three full buses went past her on one day, and this has happened repeatedly. She has spent hundreds of euro on taxis. Three buses went past Catherine from Leopardstown, going down the N11. In Kilternan, which is one of the fastest growing residential areas in the country, particularly in my constituency, there was a protest last Saturday, led by my colleague, Councillor Pearse Dargan, about the poor bus service there, including the L26, which should be going every 15 minutes and is actually going every 30 minutes, and the 44 service. There is a lack of connectivity between the fast-growing area of Kilternan with Dún Laoghaire and also to the Luas. I appreciate the pressures on the system.

Sentiment score: -0.10