Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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388. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the additional public transport buses the National Transport Authority intends on having picking up and dropping off customers at Shannon Airport. [23659/25]

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

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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389. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the standards or stipulations contained in contracts awarded to bus operators; to what extent he has engaged with the National Transport Authority on this; if there are there any plans for review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23669/25]

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.

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 NTA's contracts with public transport operators have been strengthened in recent years, to incentivise operators to operate more reliable and punctual services, and they are also investing in a new vehicle location system for the fleet which will improve the reliability of the real time passenger information system.

We are seeing more people using public transport services and we are improving our fleet across the country and I am acutely aware that commuters need certainty around bus services.

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

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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390. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has engaged with the National Transport Authority regarding the privatisation of bus routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23670/25]

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 of those services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.

Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 it is a statutory function of the NTA to determine the appropriate mix of directly awarded and competitively tendered Public Service Obligation (PSO) bus services. The NTA has the legal power to decide on whether to extend competitive tendering. In this, it is subject to both national and EU legislation. Further, I would like to clarify that competitive tendering is not privatisation as nothing is being sold, services are not being deregulated and control remains with the NTA.

The NTA's contracts with public transport operators have been strengthened in recent years, to incentivise operators to operate more reliable and punctual services, and they are also investing in a new vehicle location system for the fleet which will improve the reliability of the real time passenger information system.

We are seeing more people using public transport services and we are improving our fleet across the country and I am acutely aware that commuters need certainty around bus services.

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