The plan will be cognisant of what energy capacity we have. That is across the board. I do not give the connection agreements. They are done independently. The Deputy will know that some data centres have not been given connection agreements. It has already happened where it is not deemed appropriate. We need to plan for the future too. That is why I mentioned 2030 and that life exists post 2030. Some project timelines for planning and delivery will be past that date. The priority for this Government is delivering …

I will be really quick because I will supply the Deputy with the written answer, but I should have said earlier that I have tasked the SEAI with looking at options with its grants. I do not mean increasing the amount of grants but seeing how we can break them down and make them more accessible. I am also doing that with electric vehicles and looking at options for low- to middle-income families, including scrappage and seeing whether there is anything we can do in rural parts. The heat pumps seem to have plateaued …

I thank the Deputy for his question. I am pleased that the Government has earmarked €5.1 billion for capital spending on new national roads projects from 2021 to 2030 as part of the national development plan, NDP. For the information of the House, we have commenced our review of the NDP. I will seek additional funds for the capital side of my Department. As it currently stands, a further €2.9 billion has been earmarked for the protection and renewal of the existing network. In addition, I can confirm that approxima…

In respect of Listry Bridge and other specific issues in the Deputy's constituency, we will take a note as he raises them. I assure him that the figures I have given are real. There are significant increases in funding for new roads and for maintenance and renewal. I agree with him that speedy delivery is key. The funding provided for the N86 from Tralee to An Daingean is not just for fencing. A total of €1.25 million will be available in 2025 and it would want to be a very expensive fence if that were all we were …

The LIS falls under the remit of the Minister for Rural and Community Development. It does not fall within my Department. I have given the funding figures and have used Kerry as a good example. We are looking at a 10.68% increase in funding for roads this year. There is a total allocation of €33.36 million for maintenance and improvement, which is on top of the funding for new roads. That is significant. There is always more to do. We have the plan of work programme. The Deputy might ask the engineers in Kerry what…

I thank the Deputy for the important question. A number of Deputies have asked about national aviation policy. We are dealing with the 2015 national aviation policy, NAP. It established a policy framework for the development of the aviation sector in Ireland, which is critical. It is designed to create an environment that encourages the sector to enhance Ireland's connectivity, to foster the growth of aviation enterprise and maximise the contribution of aviation to Ireland's sustainable economic growth and developm…

I had a good meeting with the Shannon Airport Group. It was one of the first meetings I had when I took over as Minister. The group has raised the issue of regional airports and how it might be able to access funding. There is a passenger cap to access that funding at the moment but we are considering that. Shannon Airport can stand on its own two feet. It is doing very well. We need to encourage airlines to use the other airports. We have been clear, however, that the Government cannot direct an airline to fly out…

Looking at where we came from, there was 7% year-on-year growth between 2023 and 2024 in our regional airports. That growth is happening. Shannon is profitable. I do not think anybody is necessarily looking for subsidies or additional funding – capital funding, maybe - to improve facilities. I want to see more routes flying out of Shannon and Cork and that is happening. There has been about a 17% increase in passenger numbers in our regional airports since 2019. That is good but we can build on it. We have headroom…

I thank the Deputy. The review is not concluded yet. I have not received it. He is right to highlight the importance of the passenger experience. When we think of our public transport system, passengers and customers have to be central to it. Public transport is not just about moving from A to B – it is a vital service that connects individuals to work, education, healthcare and their communities. That is why I am firmly committed to ensuring our public transport system offers services that are accessible, reliable…

I understand that. People need to be certain and sure they can rely on their public transport system. In the main, they are and our public transport operators operate very well. We saw record passenger numbers on public transport last year. People are responding because fares are affordable but there are issues from time to time, particularly in relation to our bus fleet and buses not turning up. That is why I have met the NTA on a number of occasions and charged it with reviewing the phenomenon of buses not turnin…

On fares, my focus is on investing in our fleet and infrastructure. That will be Government's focus. This five years to the end of the decade can see a step change in our infrastructure. We have seen some significant projects in Ceannt Station, Galway, and Kent Station, Cork. In Waterford, there has been significant investment in a new bus depot and in the train station. We are looking at how we can do that better. Affordability in public transport is key. We have to be mindful of the levels of fares. The decision …

As the Deputy said, this has already been raised by Deputy Ahern. I am happy to say, first, that we are committed to reviewing and updating the national aviation policy, which will bring about a new policy. That will involve stakeholder consultation. Effectively, we will publish a draft in the coming months. The draft will go out to public consultation and consultation in the House, and I would expect Deputy O'Hara and all interested Members to have an input into that. We have also committed in the programme for go…

I cannot give Deputy O'Hara a timeline, and I am not at all being evasive, because we have commenced the preparatory work for the review. There will also be an updating and there is a clear commitment in the programme for Government on updating the regional airports programme. There will be a new programme for 2026 to 2030. This means we would need most of the work concluded this year or by the end of quarter 1 next year. This very much depends on stakeholder engagement and engagement from all members and on how th…

Public transport connectivity and services to our airports are obviously critical. They are served relatively well. This can always be improved. I would expect it to be part of the input into our national aviation policy. While the existing policy from 2015 needs to be updated, it is not redundant at all. If anything, if we look at the growth in numbers in our airports throughout the regions and focus on our regional airports, particularly over the past five years, it has been significant. New routes are required. …

I thank the Deputy for his question. There is no doubt that the very strong passenger growth in recent years poses some challenges at certain times for the public transport network, including the InterCity rail network. Like the Deputy, I am eager to see improved rail services rolled out across the network. We know that when people are offered reliable and frequent services, they are more likely to choose public transport. Higher frequency also helps ease capacity issues. The Government is, therefore, supporting th…

The new InterCity railcars are being tested right now. We have received them. As the Deputy correctly said, Iarnród Éireann mentioned to him that once they come into use in 2026 additional railcars will then be provided to other routes. Two carriages on a train at peak times is, I would suggest, insufficient. I am sure the Deputy has raised that specific issue about that train service with Iarnród Éireann. On the basis of the Deputy's intervention here, we will too. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has already…

The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has direct responsibility for the all-island rail review. I expect that matters such as the double-tracking the Deputy has mentioned will be considered as part of that. On timetables, punctuality and reliability, the management of timetables is a matter for Iarnród Éireann. Where specific matters are raised in questions here, we note them and feed them back to the company. I am sure the Deputy does likewise for his constituents. The reliability of the train service is generally…

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport. The NTA has responsibility for the development of public transport infrastructure including ticketing and technology projects. The next generation ticketing project is very significant and will provide 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. This will involve a new-generation a…

I am also very anxious to see this. The Deputy is right; the Leap card is great. That is fine but, if you go to London or other parts of Britain, you can tap on or off with a debit card or credit card, which works fantastically well. When we bring in our system, it will be ahead of those in Britain and most of Europe because it will also involve account-based ticketing. I have asked for a timeline and I have engaged with the NTA. To inform the Deputy and the House, while I do not have an exact timeframe, we are aim…

I know the Deputy will be raising this issue regularly and he is right to do so because it will make a very significant difference. We will certainly be putting as much positive pressure as possible on to ensure delivery. I will be watching the timeline very closely and, as it becomes firmer, I will keep the Deputy informed. It will not be necessary for someone who is visiting to have an account to tap on and tap off. Account-based ticketing will be very useful for residents. It will allow them to see what is being…