Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to report on the progress of the all-island strategic rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26879/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As the Deputy is aware, the All-Island Strategic Rail Review was undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

The review’s Final Report was published on 31 July 2024. The review sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland up to 2050. The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society on the island, through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new routes.

Assisted by the European Investment Bank (EIB) Advisory Services, the Department of Transport and Department for Infrastructure, and agencies North and South, are working to progress the report’s recommendations in the years ahead. As part of this work, a Projects Prioritisation Strategy, which considers how best to optimise the sequencing and implementation of the Review recommendations, including both short-term interventions and longer-term projects, is at an advanced stage of preparation and is planned for publication later this year.

This work will inform the Department's engagement on the review of the National Development Plan, which is currently underway. Progress will be reported through the North South Ministerial Council.

It should be noted that that individual programmes and projects referred to within the final review report will be advanced subject to funding and relevant approvals, as required under the Infrastructure Guidelines in Ireland.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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173. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of journeys taken by Leap card in teach of the years since its introduction, in tabular form. [26880/25]

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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.

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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174. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when electronic payment will be introduced on Dublin Bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26881/25]

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. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure, including ticketing and technology projects.

The NTA's Next Generation Ticketing project will provide for a transformative upgrade to the ticketing system for public transport passengers in Ireland. The project will facilitate a variety of payment methods on public transport services, involving a next-generation 'Account Based Ticketing' scheme incorporating both mobile and card-based payments for passengers.

Following a competitive procurement process, the NTA awarded, in April 2024, an overall framework contract for the design, supply, installation and operation of a new multi-modal ticketing system to a Spanish information technology company - Indra Sistemas S.A. - who have designed, installed and operated similar systems internationally.

There is a commitment under the programme for Government to roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport and to keep fares low and affordable.

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 working days.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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175. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of introducing a €50 monthly travel pass for unlimited journeys on all bus routes serviced by the PSO, all Luas routes and on all Dart routes, in tabular form. [26882/25]

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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.

In April 2023, the NTA published a new National Fares Strategy, aiming to deliver a more consistent, equitable, and transparent fare structure for all passengers. Following this, the NTA commenced a phased rollout of revised fare zones and structures. Phase 1 of this Fares Determination was implemented in June 2024, focusing on fare changes for towns and shorter journeys within Dublin.

As the Deputy may be aware, the second part of this Determination is being implemented in two phases: Phase 2A (commenced from Monday, 28 April 2025) introduced new multi-modal fare caps in Dublin and revised commuter rail fares; and Phase 2B (is due to be introduced in June) for revised commuter bus fares.

It is the NTA’s intention to roll out further changes in future determinations during 2025, designed to deliver a fares approach that is easier for customers to understand.

Alongside this, Budget 2025 includes funding for the continuation of popular public transport fare initiatives including the 90-minute fare, the Young Adult/Student Leap Card, and the discounted fares on PSO services, with further provision to extend child fares to include those ages 5-8 years of age in Q3 of this year. My Department supports these measures in line with the recent commitment in the Programme for Government to keeping fares low and affordable.

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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176. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of introducing a €20 monthly travel pass for unlimited journeys on all bus routes serviced by the PSO, all Luas routes and on all Dart routes, in tabular form. [26883/25]

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 responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation (PSO) contracts.

In April 2023, the NTA published a new National Fares Strategy, aiming to deliver a more consistent, equitable, and transparent fare structure for all passengers. Following this, the NTA commenced a phased rollout of revised fare zones and structures. Phase 1 of this Fares Determination was implemented in June 2024, focusing on fare changes for towns and shorter journeys within Dublin.

As the Deputy may be aware, the second part of this Determination is being implemented in two phases: Phase 2A (commenced from Monday, 28 April 2025) introduced new multi-modal fare caps in Dublin and revised commuter rail fares; and Phase 2B (is due to be introduced in June) for revised commuter bus fares.

It is the NTA’s intention to roll out further changes in future determinations during 2025, designed to deliver a fares approach that is easier for customers to understand.

Alongside this, Budget 2025 includes funding for the continuation of popular public transport fare initiatives including the 90-minute fare, the Young Adult/Student Leap Card, and the discounted fares on PSO services, with further provision to extend child fares to include those ages 5-8 years of age in Q3 of this year. My Department supports these measures in line with the recent commitment in the Programme for Government to keeping fares low and affordable.

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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177. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of increasing projected cost of the MetroLink; the measures he is taking to keep costs down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26884/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, 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 MetroLink.

The Preliminary Business Case for MetroLink included a range of potential capital costs from €7.16bn to €12.25bn in 2021 prices, excluding VAT. It is too early in the project life cycle to give a precise capital cost or budget for MetroLink. This is because the project has yet to go through the planning and procurement stages.

The Government will decide whether MetroLink proceeds to construction after the planning process and tendering/procurement is complete. Officials in my Department engage with the NTA on a regular basis in relation to the budget and progress of all major projects, including MetroLink.

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 working days.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of introducing contactless payments on all public transport. [26885/25]

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. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure, including ticketing and technology projects.

The NTA's Next Generation Ticketing project will provide for a transformative upgrade to the ticketing system for public transport passengers in Ireland. The project will facilitate a variety of payment methods on public transport services, involving a next-generation 'Account Based Ticketing' scheme incorporating both mobile and card-based payments for passengers.

Following a competitive procurement process, the NTA awarded, in April 2024, an overall framework contract for the design, supply, installation and operation of a new multimodal ticketing system to a Spanish information technology company - Indra Sistemas S.A. - who have designed, installed and operated similar systems internationally.

There is a commitment under the Programme for Government to roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport and to keep fares low and affordable.

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 working days.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of acquiring an electric bus to operate on public transport. [26886/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, 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 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. Electric buses are currently rolling out across Ireland in areas such as Dublin, Limerick and Athlone.

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including the provision and upgrade of public bus fleets.

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 working days.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of setting up a mobility hub. [26887/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that significant work is underway within my Department to progress the delivery of mobility hubs, of varying types and sizes, across the country.

These hubs, depending on location and related demand, will consist of one or more of the following shared modes: shared bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-cargo bikes and Electric Vehicles (EVs). They will be provided through the National Transport Authority's Shared Micromobility Schemes, and also through a planned Mobility Hubs pilot that will deliver and test the operation of mobility hub networks in diverse urban locations across Ireland.

In relation to your specific question, there are several factors that influence the cost of establishing a mobility hub, such as:

• The size of the mobility hub (the quantum of modes available, and the number of units being provided e.g. number of bikes, e-scooters, electric vehicles etc);
• The need for installation of EV charging and, if so, the length of cabling required and the costs of the associated civil works (which will vary from location to location);
• The positioning of the hub (existing on-road space such as repurposed car-parking spaces or new build-outs);
• The need for additional civil works at the location, such as the provision of dropped kerbs; and
• The nature of the hub (stand-alone versus part of a network, which may allow for economies of scale).

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of offering a grant for second hand electric vehicles of €5,000. [26888/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Providing a sustainable, low-carbon transport system is a key priority of the Department. Within the Climate Action Plan (CAP), fleet electrification is one of the biggest mitigation actions for domestic sectors and will provide the greatest share of transport emissions abatement to 2030.

There are a number of financial supports and incentives from Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland, and where applicable, with support from the Department of Finance, which support the transition to electric vehicles including: an EV purchase grant scheme; a home charger grant scheme; eSPSV, a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to EVs; and ZEHDV, a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a low emission vehicle, reduced BIK on Battery Electric Vehicles.

These and related infrastructure supports will continue to incentivise the switch to electric vehicles as well as enabling the expansion of a fast and rapid electric vehicle charging network to stay ahead of demand. We are committed to regularly reviewing these measures and grants to ensure they support our decarbonisation objectives.

Any vehicle grant scheme under ZEVI is administered on a demand-led basis, with applicants applying directly for grants via a suitable agency. The number of applicants is dependent on factors such as market conditions, the time of year and in many cases what other grants or incentives the applicant is interested in.

Additionally, it should be noted that there would be further complexities around the grant-aiding of second-hand vehicles vs new vehicles, including the specific definition of an eligible second-hand vehicle. This arises from questions around vehicle age limits, minimum values, private sales vs dealer sales and the potential for double-granting.

It should be noted also that Ireland has a relatively limited number of second hand battery electric vehicles available at the moment. There are just over 90,000 BEVs registered in Ireland at the moment and the vast majority of these have been purchased in the last 3 years, so may not yet be on the second hand market.

A potential scheme for grant aiding second hand vehicles would be dependent on all of the above factors, and so the eligible vehicle numbers and associated costs for any scheme could vary significantly.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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182. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated cost of offering a grant for electric bikes of €1,000. [26889/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is continuously exploring ways to encourage the uptake of cycling as a mode of transport and it is evident that the popularity of e-bikes is rising. Our National Sustainable Mobility Policy examines the different behavioural change measures that can be explored to promote modal shift away from private car use and towards zero-emission transport modes such as walking, cycling and e-biking.

The Programme for Government 2020 committed to “widening the eligibility of the Bike to Work scheme”. In Budget 2021, my colleague, the then Minister for Finance, increased the thresholds for the Cycle to Work scheme to enable the purchase of e-bikes and more recently the thresholds were increased again to accommodate the purchase of cargo bikes and cargo e-bikes.

To further advance the Programme for Government commitment, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Rural and Community Development, introduced a pilot initiative in 2021 for the provision of high quality up-cycled bicycles and e-bikes for those on low incomes and the most marginalised and disadvantaged.

Funding of up approximately €1 million per annum was provided by my Department over a three-year period through the Community Services Programme, which is managed by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development. Depending on the organisation involved, upcycled bicycles are made available for free or at a lower cost to various groups including those in direct provision or those outside employment. A review of this pilot is being undertaken this year with a view to ascertaining the impact of this Initiative.

My Department will also continue to undertake research into other additional measures which could be introduced to promote modal shift and encourage uptake of electric bikes across all demographics as part of the annual Budgetary process. Potential schemes such as grants for bikes will be considered as part of this research.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the report on the transport of illegal arms via Irish airspace will be published (details supplied); if he has seen said report; whether the report draws the conclusion that Israeli war planes are passing through Irish airspace; if he is aware of comments from the Tánaiste that he had no knowledge of these flights; if he has discussed this report with the Tánaiste or the Taoiseach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26926/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As detailed in the media article to which the Deputy has referred, the “draft report” in question is a working document by officials carrying out the examination into the alleged contraventions of Irish law regarding the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft.

As the draft report has not been completed, it has not been shared with me, as such I have not discussed the content of it with the Tánaiste or the Taoiseach.

Work is continuing but I am not in a position to provide a definitive timeframe for its completion. My Department is making every effort to complete its examination in as timely a manner as is possible.