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

We will all be travelling on buses together soon. I use the bus a lot but not in Wicklow.

I am aware, as the Deputy obviously is, that Go-Ahead Ireland has experienced difficulties in maintaining service levels, particularly in the first quarter of this year, primarily due to a shortage of mechanics. In response, the company took a number of remedial actions, including bringing in additional mechanics from Britain and securing further technical support from external sources. I understand that the situation has improved significantly since then, not necessarily on every route, with fleet availability returning to normal within a relatively short period. Go-Ahead Ireland has reported that since January, eight new engineering staff have joined the company and 129 drivers have started in the driving school. In addition, Go-Ahead Ireland has completed overseas recruitment, with ten engineers expected to start in September.

The NTA monitors the performance of all public transport operators, as the Deputy will know. Under existing contractual arrangements, financial penalties apply where performance falls below agreed standards. The NTA continues to engage with Go-Ahead Ireland to enhance service reliability.

Having said that, things will happen but we need to ensure as best as possible that punctuality and reliability and, underpinning that, affordability happen. I instructed the NTA to carry out a review of the ghost bus phenomenon, for want of a better phrase, and I continue to keep that positive pressure on in my supporting role as Minister to make sure that people can be assured that buses which are scheduled arrive on time.

In my supplementary reply, I will provide a little more detail of what will happen in the coming period. I have initial information from review; I do not have the completed information on it. If there are any particular matters relating to Wicklow or anywhere else as regards buses not showing up, I want to know about it.

See this speech in context