John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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29. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide further details of his Department’s plans announced in Budget 2025 relating to ‘investing in electric and hybrid-electric busses, and in charging infrastructure at depots’, including the scale of funding to be provided. [40410/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the public transport fleet. Further details on the allocation of the Department's resources, including investment in public transport, will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume later this year.

The Government is committed to the decarbonisation of the public transport sector in line with the Climate Action Plan. No new diesel-only buses have been purchased for urban public service obligation bus fleets since July 2019, as set out in the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The transition to a zero-emission urban bus fleet is currently programmed to take up until 2035, based on replacement of non-zero-emission buses as they reach the end of their efficient service lives.

100 double-deck electric buses have been accepted into the Dublin Bus fleet, with more than 90 of these currently in service. Full deployment of these buses is dependent on bus schedule changes. Additionally, 34 double-deck electric buses entered service in Limerick earlier this year.

Electric buses produce no tailpipe carbon emissions and offer reduced interior and exterior noise levels compared to diesel buses. This transition to electric buses will result in cleaner air and less noise pollution in areas where the buses are operating, while also providing a quieter journey for passengers.

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

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason there was no allocated supports for shared mobility providers offered in Budget 2025, considering these operators play a leading role in making transport more sustainable, accessible and affordable. [40416/24]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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31. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on Action 87 of the National Sustainable Mobility Policy, on the development of a strategy for the expansion of car share, bike and PTT services at transport hubs, considering there was no mention of shared mobility in Budget 2025. [40417/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 31 together.

No specific funding supports were included in Budget 2025 for shared mobility providers. However, the Department recognises the challenges faced by private shared mobility providers and remains committed to supporting the expansion of shared mobility options through the advancement of commitments in the Sustainable Mobility Policy (SMP), and both the 2023 and 2024 Climate Action Plans (CAPs).

Action 87 of the SMP, which aims to expand shared car, bike and PPT services at transport hubs and interchanges through the development of a strategy for the rollout of expanded shared services, is one of these key commitments and meaningful progress continues to be made in delivering this action. A draft strategy has been prepared, taking account of related actions in the SMP but also new actions in CAPs 2023 and 2024, and consequently takes a wider perspective on the expansion of shared mobility beyond solely transport hubs and interchanges. It is expected to be finalised in the coming months. Key considerations include the need for appropriate regulation to ensure the delivery of high-quality services, addressing logistical challenges such as facilitating the use of shared mobility modes across local authority boundaries, and the establishment of a sustainable model of shared mobility service provision in both cities and towns.

In advance of this work being concluded, and to coincide with the making of regulations and recent launch of e-scooters as a legal mode for use on Irish roads, my department published an advice note for local authorities on the issue of shared micro mobility services In July this year.

Additionally, to inform wider policy development in the area, I launched a public consultation process on shared mobility hubs in March this year and published an Issues Paper to help elicit views on their development. The paper identified challenges and opportunities for the development of shared mobility hubs and sought input from stakeholders and the public on several key issues, including on the development of business models and approaches that would maximise uptake of shared mobility modes and support the viability of shared mobility providers.

Approximately 100 submissions were received by my Department in response to this public consultation. These submissions have been carefully considered and work is underway to develop a report on the outcome of the public consultation. As part of that process, my officials met with shared mobility providers and other stakeholders on 1 October to discuss the findings of the consultation and to seek their insights on the issues, challenges and opportunities identified.

It is intended that the inputs from this consultation process will help to identify a suitable approach to support the expansion of shared mobility services in Ireland, which will be reflected in a new National Policy Statement on Shared Mobility Hubs to be completed in the coming months.