Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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276. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Public Transport Safety Charter; the stakeholders involved in the drafting process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37545/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Transport is continuing work on the drafting of a Safety Charter. At the most recent Public Transport Safety Working Group meeting on July 1st, stakeholders were invited to input into the drafting process, to fully reflect the views and experiences of those who work on, and use our public transport network.

The Public Transport Safety Working Group, chaired by the Department of Transport, consists of unions, operators, representation groups, the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána, and the National Transport Authority (NTA). Unions involved include SIPTU, NBRU, ICTU, TSSA, and UNITE, with operators such as Irish Rail, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Transdev, and Go-Ahead Ireland participating. Representation groups include the CTTC and Dublin Commuter Coalition.

As you may be aware, there is a strong commitment under the Programme for Government to create a Transport Security Force under the NTA, which would operate and have similar powers to Airport Police and Customs Officers, and I can assure you I am taking forward this commitment as a priority, and work is ongoing in my Department, in conjunction with the NTA and the Public Transport Safety Working Group, around identifying the most appropriate organisational structure to progress it.

We will continue to engage with operators and unions on the matter, and will continue to work with all stakeholders to provide safe, sustainable public transport.