Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I have noted the comments the Deputy made, as well as those made by Deputy Ó Cuív. The senior Ministers are not always available, but I have noted and will relay the comments back.

I want to explain at the outset that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but is not involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA works with the public transport operators, who deliver the services and who have responsibility for day-to-day operational matters. That said, I reassure the Deputy that the Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable and realistic sustainable mobility options, and public transport plays a critical role in the delivery of this goal.

To support this objective, in budget 2023, the Department of Transport secured €563 million of funding for public service obligation, PSO, and Transport for Ireland, TFI, Local Link services, up from €538 million in 2022. The Department of Transport’s sustainable mobility policy, launched last year, recognises that tailored transport solutions are needed for urban and rural areas, including in the Fingal area.

The Minister for Transport is very conscious of the need to connect our people and places across Ireland by improving public transport services. To this end, the Government's vision for both rural and urban Ireland is ambitious. Moreover, a cost-efficient public transport sector, including affordable and accessible public transport services, is crucial in terms of effecting a modal shift from private to public transport. The figures in that regard are good.

I will now turn specifically to the Fingal area. The Deputy is no doubt familiar that Fingal spans the area of both the BusConnects Dublin network redesign and the services proposed under the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan. The NTA has advised the Department of Transport that there is work under way in providing additional services in the Balbriggan, Stamullen, Ballyboughal and Swords corridor, which will be developed later this year for future implementation. Additionally, the BusConnects network redesign will bring significantly enhanced services to parts of Fingal, including Blanchardstown, Swords, and the east coast corridor. TFI Local Link Louth-Meath-Fingal has also confirmed that it is working with the NTA designing new bus routes under Connecting Ireland. With more services coming in 2023 and beyond, these new routes will be transformative and have a fundamental impact on the health and well-being of communities in the area.

In the more urban parts of Fingal, BusConnects Dublin will provide more sustainable, accessible, and reliable transport options, resulting in higher quality service. By revitalising public transport and providing safe active travel routes, the project represents a necessary modal shift away from private transport. To date the NTA has submitted planning applications to An Bord Pleanála in respect of six of the core bus corridor schemes, including the Ballymun-Finglas to city centre scheme, and expects to submit applications for all remaining schemes by the end of quarter 2 of 2023.

It must be noted that industry-wide challenges with driver recruitment continue to pose a challenge. This is being closely monitored between the NTA and the transport operators and the launch dates continue to be kept under review to ensure that the transport operators are operationally ready to introduce the new services.

I am aware the Deputy is very passionate about and interested in accessible public transport as an issue in representing her community. The Department of Transport and its agencies are progressively making public transport more accessible for people who are disabled, including in rural areas, by ensuring that new infrastructure and services are accessible from the start, and also by retrofitting older infrastructure and facilities. It goes without saying that the provision of accessible, integrated and sustainable transport is critical for all members of society, and especially those in vulnerable situations, including people with disabilities and older people.

Again, I note the points made by the Deputy about the routes Nos. 101 and 33A.

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