Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)

During transport questions last night, a number of Deputies asked that question. Next generation ticketing is on the way. The contract is in place. There is a €165 million investment by the Exchequer on this which will greatly improve our ticketing system across our entire public transport network. It will allow for new ways to pay for public transport. It will also introduce account-based ticketing, which is being worked through right now. The most up-to-date information, which I gave to the Dáil last night, is that phase 1 of that, which is the in-use testing phase, will be in 2027.

There are three other phases post that which are dependent on the success of that rollout. I will meet the NTA on this. It is a whole new system. There is not just the ticketing piece but there will also be changes to the receptors that are used, such as the ticketing machines in the stations where you tap on. They will all have to be changed. There is a physical infrastructure change required with this.

Indra Sistemas, the company that is delivering it, has delivered systems like this in other countries too. The best handle on timeframe I have is that phase 1 is summer to autumn 2027. I said this to Members last night because Deputies Moynihan and Daly and others asked last night about this very thing. I will see if there is any way for us to shorten the distance between phase 1 and phase 2. I cannot give a commitment on that. It is the rollout of a whole new contactless ticketing system that will be with us for a generation and will make a very significant change. I will keep the committee informed of that. Last night, I committed to Deputies that following my meeting with the NTA and Indra Sistemas that I will come back with an update on timelines. We got a better handle on that in the responses we were able to give to Deputies in the Dáil last night.