Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the efforts he is making to improve the experience of commuters on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23024/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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What efforts is the Minister making to improve the experience of commuters on public transport? The performance of public transport operators is closely monitored by the National Transport Authority, NTA. The Minister previously said on certain routes buses were late and even not turning up at too great a frequency and that the NTA was carrying out a review of the incidents that had taken place. Has that review been completed? Does he have it? There are concerns across the country about the transport system and its difficulties.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. The review is not concluded yet. I have not received it. He is right to highlight the importance of the passenger experience. When we think of our public transport system, passengers and customers have to be central to it. Public transport is not just about moving from A to B – it is a vital service that connects individuals to work, education, healthcare and their communities. That is why I am firmly committed to ensuring our public transport system offers services that are accessible, reliable, affordable and, in particular, safe.

On reliability, we have major infrastructure plans under BusConnects for each of our five cities, as well as introducing improvements to the vehicle location system for the fleet, which will improve the reliability of the real-time passenger information system. That remains a frustration for passengers on some routes. Real-time information is key. We need to see construction start on the BusConnects corridors in Dublin and roll that out to the other cities. Most of those projects are through planning. Three are not subject to judicial review, so we can start them; others are held up and there are objections. BusConnects, particularly in our cities, will be critical to improving the passenger experience.

We are supporting accessibility through our commitment to expand the availability of public transport across the country. This commitment is supported by both international and national frameworks, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and our national sustainable mobility policy, which promotes a whole-journey approach to mobility and inclusive access for all. All new infrastructure is designed with accessibility in mind and significant progress has been made in improving accessibility. This year, my Department has increased funding by 67% for the retrofitting of legacy infrastructure to make it more accessible, particularly for those who have additional needs or are disabled and our senior citizens.

Equally important is the safety of passengers and staff across the public transport network. The NTA’s 2024 passenger security report shows that while reported incident rates remain low at 2.2 per 100,000 passenger journeys, incidents are being raised. Even one incident is one too many.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for the reply. We have seen that, where services have been provided, the increase in passenger numbers has been up to 50% on some routes. People want services to be affordable, accessible and reliable. I spoke recently to some students from UL who travel up and down to Kerry. On a Friday, the Dublin coach regularly does not turn up and they are left to get the next bus or even the bus after that. What is the Minister doing to address the situation? Is he monitoring the scourge of ghost buses, not only in Dublin but in the rest of the country as well?

In the recent revision of the national planning framework, there was an opportunity to address the infrastructural deficits. As has become the hallmark of this Government, another opportunity was missed because there is no national policy objective to address regional connectivity and transport specifically.

People who want to get public transport up the west from, say, Kerry to Sligo and beyond have to change buses a number of times. Even students, if one bus is late, are punished and have to buy another ticket, even though they are relying on the same Bus Éireann service to continue on that journey.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that. People need to be certain and sure they can rely on their public transport system. In the main, they are and our public transport operators operate very well. We saw record passenger numbers on public transport last year. People are responding because fares are affordable but there are issues from time to time, particularly in relation to our bus fleet and buses not turning up. That is why I have met the NTA on a number of occasions and charged it with reviewing the phenomenon of buses not turning up. I assure the Deputy that is not just focused on Dublin. To be fair to my predecessor in the previous Government, the availability of public transport in rural areas has been transformed. We need to go further, unquestionably, but we see the success and expansion of, particularly, rural link. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, will know that well. I have met many of the groups myself. There is a real opportunity to do more but there has been great improvement over the past four or five years and we want to build on that.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I have two final questions. First, the last time we debated on Oral Questions I asked the Minister to explicitly rule out public transport fare increases. Has he come to a decision on that?

The second question has been rumbling on since Covid. It seems that in the transport plan there is a policy to have a food and drinks ban on train services to the west. For people travelling, students, old age pensioners, everyone - even five or six TDs get the train up from the west - they cannot get any food or drink on those trains. The Minister will say it is a matter for Iarnród Éireann but he is Minister for Transport. We have received assurances in recent years. That the tender would be awarded in early 2024 was mentioned. A response from Irish Rail said that though the tendering process was in its advanced stages, the NTA had yet to make a funding decision on it. People get up early in the morning and have to wait four hours without even a glass of water on the train. We received responses in February and May but the service is still not restored.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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On fares, my focus is on investing in our fleet and infrastructure. That will be Government's focus. This five years to the end of the decade can see a step change in our infrastructure. We have seen some significant projects in Ceannt Station, Galway, and Kent Station, Cork. In Waterford, there has been significant investment in a new bus depot and in the train station. We are looking at how we can do that better. Affordability in public transport is key. We have to be mindful of the levels of fares. The decision was made to bring in free travel for five-to-eight-years-olds. We want to see what we can do for students also and there have been fare reductions. I am not ruling out anything because we need to be able to fund investment in our fleet as well.

On the food and beverage matter, I will have to follow it up for the Deputy. I do not have an answer on that.