Bus Services
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-30
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

We all share the commitment to enhance the public transport offering. It is not correct to say there is a lack of funding. In the budget, the Minister received an increase of 46% in the PSO allocation. What we are doing - I think the Deputy will support us in this, being a former Minister - is building resilience and sustainability in the transport system and network for the future. We are planning new routes in a way that is sustainable for the future and will avoid the need to have to go through supplementary measures every budget and cycle. As the Deputy knows, people want certainty, reliable information and on-time buses. We will engage further with the NTA to ensure that process of planning is in place so that we can deliver.
The Deputy is right that this is transformative. I assure the Deputy that all of us in the Department of Transport are committed to this. We want to see it happen. As I said, we have increased the PSO offering. It is now about making sure we continue to roll out BusConnects routes not just in Dublin but in the city of Cork as well. I hear the Deputy’s views.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-30