Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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232. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the rationale for the extension of a company (details supplied) contract, given its ongoing poor and unreliable service which has resulted in many workers being late for work and given written and verbal warning through no fault of their own, students being late for school and college, patients missing hospital appointments and many commuters left stranded on many routes across Fingal and the Greater Dublin Area, and in counties Wicklow, Louth and Kildare, impacting commuters’ confidence in public transport, especially at a time when national policy is to encourage the use of public transport and reduce car usage in line with Ireland’s climate obligations to reduce carbon emissions by 51% by 2030, and given the penalties incurred by the company to date in 2022 for non-operation of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55448/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators. The performance of all public transport operators is monitored by the NTA as part of the contractual arrangements in place between it and the operators.

In light of the NTA's responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question in relation to Go-Ahead Ireland to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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233. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the failure to provide services on the new BusConnects 60 route in Ballyfermot; the measures that he intends to take to ensure that persons in this area of Ballyfermot have a functioning public transport system, given that the BusConnects programme removed the old 79 route for a planned hourly frequency of a new 60 route; if he will intervene directly with the National Transport Authority and Dublin Bus to ensure that a functioning and reliable service is provided, given the importance of encouraging persons to move to bus transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55450/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including BusConnects Dublin and its resulting new services.

Noting the NTA's responsibility in the matter, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for a direct reply. Please contact my private office if you do not receive a reply within 10 days.