I do get the point. A number of our rail cars and rail lines have the facilities on the trains. I have looked, and I have asked Iarnród Éireann and the NTA to explore other options, including the option Deputy Daly has articulated here today. I am hopeful this will bear fruit shortly. Deputy Daly has asked this question regularly, as have Government colleagues. I understand the position. I will revert once the discussions have concluded and we have options that would be affordable and would make sense whereby we ar…

A Massey Ferguson.

I thank Deputy O'Gorman. He has indeed raised this matter here before. I launched the National Policy Framework on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or drones, on 20 August 2025, making Ireland one of the first European Union member states to publish a dedicated policy in relation to drones. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning for, and the development of, the UAS sector in Ireland through supporting growth and innovation while, really importantly, ensuring safe and secure operations and managi…

I know the Deputy's area very well. We have adjacent constituencies. I have spoken to many people in the Blanchardstown-Castleknock area. There has been a change. Many deliveries are being made by drone that would have been made by car, van and other methods. That is another consideration and something to think about. Do we want more traffic or do we want drones? We have to manage that with communities. Deputy Coppinger can laugh all she likes.

Nothing is right with Deputy Coppinger. She suffers everything.

The reality is that this is an emerging sector. It is in its infancy. We can be at the leading edge of innovation in this sector. To answer the Deputy's question directly, the implementation of this framework is the whole purpose of the monitoring group. We have to start from somewhere. We are one of the first countries, if not the first, to publish such a framework document. It will be managed within my Department and will report to me. We will have input from communities, as we have already had, from professional…

We are working with the sector, communities and the public. We had a lot of engagement on-----

Hold on a second. Deputy O'Gorman knows there are regulations in place. They are EU regulations. The IAA is charged with-----

There are regulations. The Deputy has stated on the record of the House that there are no regulations. That is not true. It is incorrect. That might work at a public meeting he is at or hosting with Deputy Coppinger to try to drum up further discontent. Undoubtedly, there are people impacted by it and that is why we need to ensure that there are proper designated zones and proper planning is followed. This is a sector in its relative infancy, however. It has grown very quickly. The previous Administration and Minis…

I thank the Deputy. She will be aware that such a route is planned to be introduced as part of BusConnects, which is the largest-ever investment programme in the bus system in the history of the State, funded by the Government on behalf of our citizens and managed by the NTA. Since its commencement in 2021, BusConnects Dublin has seen over 100 new double-decker electric buses enter into service across Dublin, with significant investment made in depot electrification to support the buses, as well as the implementati…

I look forward to working with the Deputy in the coming weeks and months on our further plans to create more employment in the airport. As the Deputy knows, it is important that the people in my area and hers have good paying jobs to support their families and quality of life. There is no padded-out answer here. I am putting things in context because there is a lot happening with BusConnects. Dublin 15 is undoubtedly a major growth area with a lot of new communities. We have seen a lot of development there over the…

I thank the Deputy. I will take on board the suggestion she made on the W4 route to the airport in the interim. I have given her the best answer I can in regard to the N8 route. There are lots of good things happening all across Dublin in regard to public transport and we want to build on the progress that has been made over the past five years, no less so in Dublin 15. I will not again list all of the various capital projects that are happening. I am sure there are many public meetings being held on the basis of t…

I thank the Deputy for his support for this initiative. It is important we ensure there is safety on our public transport network right across the country. I want to assure him that we are actively progressing the legislative proposals required to deliver on the programme for Government commitment to establish that transport security force. I have worked very closely with the NTA. I met its chairperson this week and this will form part of the agenda. The work involves careful and informed consideration of the most …

I think there are ways of doing that and ways perhaps of running recruitment or looking at potential routes to recruitment alongside the legislation. We have to get the operational structures set in place. Consolidation of the legal aspects will be complex but the operational ones should not be. This is why I have already had discussions with the NTA and An Garda Síochána and direct meetings with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. The Department of justice is very supportive of what we are doing. The Deputy is right…

I genuinely thank the Deputy for his support for this force. If we can work together in a collegial way across the House, we will be able to advance the legislation quicker. We will need a fair wind to be able to have it all passed by next year and have recruitment for the force in place. It will have to be rolled out on a phased basis. It is my earnest desire to have the force in place in 2027. Iarnród Éireann security spending is up 41%. To answer the Deputy's earlier question, when this force is in place, I do n…

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh agus a Sheanadóirí. I thank Senators for the opportunity to engage with them on the topics of public transport and aviation. I am looking forward to their perspectives and input. I am confident that we all agree it is essential that the Government continue to invest in our public transport services and network and that we are supportive of the Government's commitment to delivering an accessible, affordable and reliable public transport network throughout the country. I also look…

I would like that, too.

Before anyone else speaks, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, is taking over for the second half of the debate. He is in the anteroom. I will be leaving.

I have taken notes and we will be responding.

The Deputy should stop objecting to them then.