Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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422. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to outline the criteria used by the National Transport Authority and Dublin Bus to determine the routes prioritised for the deployment of additional buses in response to capacity needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19660/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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, in this case, Dublin Bus.

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

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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423. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide data on the number of so-called ‘ghost buses’, ‘mystery buses’, and ‘disappearing buses’ reported on the 37 and 38 Dublin Bus routes from January 2024 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19661/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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, in this case, Dublin Bus.

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. These contractual arrangements allow for not just the monitoring of performance by the NTA and the publication by it of annual performance reports, but importantly, the contracts also allow for the imposition of financial penalties where performance does not meet the required standard

The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Dublin Bus in conjunction with the NTA. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to Dublin Bus and the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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424. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of buses, electric, hybrid, petrol/diesel or any other type of bus, that have been added to the Dublin Bus fleet in the years 2019 to 2025, in tabular form. [19662/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Dublin Bus. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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425. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of buses currently awaiting deployment to new depots in Dublin; the number of these that are delayed due to delays in the electrification of the relevant depots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19663/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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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 electrification of public transport.

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.

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

Charging points in bus depots and electric buses have started rolling out in recent years. There are over 100 double-deck electric buses in service in Dublin. Further electric buses will continue to roll out on an incremental basis over the coming years.

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.