John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for facilitating me and I welcome the question from my colleague. The National Transport Authority, NTA, announced it was to purchase 600 hybrid diesel vehicles but it seems the jury is out on that. The Minister said the preference is for electrification of the fleet, so how can the NTA indicate it will purchase 600 hybrid diesels in the coming years when we do not have the full results of testing? Hydrogen is used as a power source for buses in Scotland and Brussels but the Minister has not mentioned it. I have read some reports on the effectiveness of hybrid diesel buses in London and many of them are running fully on diesel because the system is not effective. I take the Minister's point about the complications in this regard. How can the NTA state it will purchase 600 hybrid diesel buses when the jury is out on what system would be most suitable for Dublin transport?

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