Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Whitmore again for her contribution and for bringing the matter to the House. I assure her I fully recognise that transport connectivity is hugely important for the people who live, work and study in the areas she has mentioned and across urban and rural areas. It is vital and key to revitalising our villages, towns and urban centres.

I accept the challenges we have heard this morning and I will work with the Deputy to bring the issues she has raised back to the Department. I fully agree with the Deputy that reliability is critical. That is the end of the discussion; it has to be.

By expanding the public transport network and increasing service levels, as outlined in policies like Connecting Ireland and BusConnects, and as committed to in the programme for Government, the Government will aim to achieve with the providers more balanced regional development and greater connectivity for all public transport users. I can assure Deputy Whitmore that I will take the points she has made with regard to the 84X, X1 and X2 bus services and bring them back to the Department, which I hope will liaise with the providers and the NTA.

BusConnects has already achieved significant success in transforming Dublin's public transport network. In the latest progress report, published in the summer, comparisons were made between network redesign phases 1 to 5a before launch, from quarter 4 of 2019, and after launch, from 2023. The programme has led to a substantial increase in service levels. Customer satisfaction research into phases 1 to 4 of the network redesign project shows an 80% level of user satisfaction. There is, however, a piece that we need to get right. I concur with Deputy Whitmore in that regard. I can reassure her that the NTA and the Department of Transport will continue to work closely with the operators to enhance the punctuality and reliability of public transport services, both on existing routes and in the new services which continue to be rolled out.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been advised that the NTA is liaising and working closely with Go-Ahead Ireland to improve service delivery on the impacted routes and that improvements have already taken place. Further, through initiatives such as the implementation of new ticketing technologies, we are taking steps to enhance capacity and improve the overall transport experience for members. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, I again thank Deputy Whitmore for raising these matters this morning. I assure her that I will bring her concerns back. It is important that we listen, hear and engage.

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