Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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95. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the issue of cancelled buses on the Dublin Bus and Go Ahead networks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15474/26]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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How seriously does the Department take the issue of ghost buses or cancelled buses? In the first six months of last year there were 6,000 complaints to the NTA in Dublin about this. Those are just people who get the strength to make complaints. This is causing real problems in my area, particularly with the 238 which is an absolutely infamous ghost bus. The people of Tyrrelstown are losing their jobs and losing their livelihoods. They are ending up late for work and late for school. It is having a huge impact on people's lives. What are the repercussions from the Department for the operators?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I assure Deputy Coppinger that I do take it very seriously. It is a real frustration and inconvenience for passengers who are affected by ghost buses or services that do not show up. There have been particular recent bus cancellations on the Dublin Bus and Go Ahead Ireland networks. We need to acknowledge that last year there were 363.5 million public passenger journeys across the State, which is up 6% on the previous year, the highest amount ever, so people are responding. However, it behoves the operators to ensure that the services as listed turn up.

Issues happen from time to time and they arise for a range of reasons, including driver and mechanic shortages which has been an issue on the route the Deputy referred to, particularly with the services operated by Go Ahead. In my supplementary reply I will come back with more detail on what is happening there.

The most significant factor in recent months has been traffic congestion. For example, Dublin Bus is currently delivering 98% of contracted kilometres set by the NTA. However, punctuality is being affected by rising traffic volumes in the city in particular. Buses delayed going out and coming back in are having an effect. I have convened a meeting on 18 March with stakeholders specifically to discuss congestion in the city core but also around the M50.

Some things need to be planned better within our transport operators, particularly relating to resources, something Go Ahead has acknowledged. I have been in touch with the operators directly on many occasions, particularly on the issue of being able to trust the data on the app. If the app is showing the bus is coming but then it just disappears, people cannot make alternative arrangements. A big issue with Go Ahead has been with mechanics. It has employed ten more but they were delayed in getting here. They have been trained and are now working, so we should see an improvement there.

While Dublin Bus is generally performing very well, one of its issues is with driver numbers. It is recruiting a further 100 drivers from South Africa right now and they are coming in. There are still good jobs for people in Dublin Bus. We have work to do there and I am continuing to do it. The Deputy should trust me - I take this very seriously. It is a serious issue. I will come back in with some more details in a minute.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Congestion, drivers, mechanics, breakdowns and all sorts of reasons are given. Is it not some reflection that we cannot get workers to work in these services? As the Minister knows, one of the issues with Go Ahead is that it has reduced conditions compared with Dublin Bus. Drivers were eating their lunch on the side of the road at one point.

However, I want to talk about the 238. It is absolutely unacceptable that between 4.2% and 8.2% of the bus journeys on the 238 route are cancelled every week. How can up to 8% be acceptable at any time? The people paying the price are ordinary working people. It is also ironic that they are trying to introduce parking charges in Blanchardstown centre. The 238 is the only bus people in Tyrrelstown have to get to Blanchardstown centre and yet they are meant to be taking that bus. Many of the people work there, by the way.

I draw the Minister's attention to the impact it is having. There was a very good article intheDublin Inquirerinterviewing people in the area. A woman, Ms Bernie Casey, talked about her 23-year-old son and said it is affecting his work. Some of her son's friends have lost their jobs in the centre because of it.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased that people are responding and using public transport at rates we have not seen previously. That is good. I acknowledge that particularly on certain routes, there are issues. A cancellation rate of up to 8% in a month on the 238 route is unacceptable. I will raise that matter directly with the operators.

The operators do get fined and significant fines are levied on them for non-performance. I have the 2024 figures for Go-Ahead Ireland, which are the most recent figures I have for a full year. It was fined well over €1 million. That money is then reinvested.

Bus Átha Cliath is running a jobs campaign at the moment. They are good, secure jobs with good in-house training. There is good career advancement. The Deputy said the situation is ridiculous if we cannot find people to work in those jobs. There are nearly 3 million now working in the economy. The economy is going well. People are well-trained and well-educated. There is a pro-enterprise Government. That does pose strains. I am not in any way dismissing the point the Deputy has made, particularly about the 238 bus. I will look specifically at that matter. I have a meeting on 18 March with bus operators and other stakeholders about congestion.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I will also mention the other services for Tyrrelstown and Hollystown. The Minister knows these areas well from his time on Fingal County Council. He knows the figures for Fingal. It is the fastest growing area and so on. I do not need to recite the figures to him. Dublin West has never had the transport it needs. It is the most recurring issue that people are contacting me about. It is causing hardship to students who are trying to get to UCD through two- to three-hour bus journeys. The 39 route is like a coffin ship at this point. It just keeps being added to and the journey keeps getting longer.

A woman in Tyrrelstown contacted me. She works in Dublin Port. Can you imagine what a feat that is? It is like an odyssey, trying to match up the different connections. It is very dangerous for a woman late at night or early in the morning when it is dark. People in these areas are suffering. There is also the 40d route.

If the Government wants houses built, and we all want houses built, we must have the transport and infrastructure. Dublin West needs massive investment in public transport.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Dublin West will get and is getting that massive investment. We have €24.3 billion to invest in transport between now and 2030. The Deputy is right to highlight the issue. I know Dublin West very well. The Fingal area is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. There are good jobs there. New families are setting down their roots in the housing we have built over the past five years. There are more than pinch points in certain areas and the Deputy is right to raise those as an issue. I will in particular raise the specific routes that the Deputy has mentioned. I am aware of the issues. It is our job to work hard with the transport operators to improve the services that are there. There are some routes that are working very well but there are others that, quite frankly, are not. An 8% cancellation rate is unacceptable.

I will mention the automatic vehicle location system, which will make a big difference. With it, at least people will know if there is a delay or cancellation because they will be able to see it on the app. There will be real-time data. That is going into pilot this quarter, with full roll-out and completion scheduled for 2027, which is next year. That is notwithstanding the fact that we must improve the core quality bus corridors, which we are doing. There are plans in Dublin 15 and west Dublin for that, as the Deputy knows.