Bus Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-26
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Darragh O'Brien (FF), Dublin Fingal East

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Tá brón orm go raibh mé déanach. Shíl mé go raibh na ceisteanna ag tosnú ag 10.30 a.m.
I welcome the Deputy's question on the bus stop enhancement programme. It is a relatively new programme. Choosing sustainable transport is not just a matter of where a bus or rail line goes on a map; it is about creating an interconnected network. For that, people need places to stop, start and make a change in their transport journey that is safe, comfortable and accessible.
The NTA undertakes upgrades to bus stops and shelters across a number of schemes, including BusConnects, which is not included in the figures I will give the Deputy, Connecting Ireland, the active travel investment programme and, as the Deputy mentioned, the bus stop enhancement programme. That programme is a multi-annual initiative, which only commenced in 2024 and will run to 2029. Through the programme, funded by my Department, €500,000 is provided per local authority, not nationally, to enhance bus stop facilities at locations within the local authority administrative areas. Along with such funding, the NTA provides local authorities with bus shelters through its contractor, while also making the contractor available for the installation and subsequent maintenance of the bus shelters. Local authorities are required to undertake preparatory work ahead of the installation of shelters.
It is intended to streamline the delivery. As the numbers show, the programme is ramping up. It is important that, for the first time, local authorities, through the NTA, have identified all the existing stops. We ask the local authorities to submit their plans. This covers not just the bus stops or shelters, as the Deputy knows, but also hard-core surfaces or the extension of footpaths to make them safer.
The Deputy's question is valid. There is significant funding going into this programme and I want to see that ramped up. There is a very good pipeline. I will add more in my supplementary reply.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:42+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-26