I will raise those issues with the DAA, in particular special assistance. Workers' pay is an operational matter for the DAA. I met SIPTU representatives recently and conveyed my appreciation for passenger-facing staff, in particular, who are under huge pressure in the airport. They have been managing queues, clearing people through security, helping to board passengers and working in extremely difficult circumstances. The representatives raised with me the issue of staff who had done overtime and had not been paid.…

We all want functioning State airports in Dublin and elsewhere. Part of the pressure is the understaffing in the airport and the shortage of labour, something which is hitting every sector. Since recruitment efforts were redoubled in March of this year, Dublin Airport has seen a significant interest in advertised positions. I understand it received more than 5,000 applications. At our weekly meetings we discuss staffing numbers, training and the deployment of new staff to help ease the pressure on current staff who…

The overarching aim of the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan is to develop an accessible, integrated and sustainable network of public transport services in rural and regional areas nationwide. In budget 2022, I was delighted to secure an allocation of €5.6 million to progress, develop and begin delivery of this important plan. To keep this momentum going, I will be working closely with my colleagues in Government to secure funding for the continued rollout of Connecting Ireland over its five-year implementati…

The business case for Connecting Ireland is still under scrutiny within the Department. It will then have to be sent to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for its review. After that process, the business case then has to go to Government for approval due to the scale of the investment envisaged, which is very ambitious. It would be premature to discuss the possible cost of delivering Connecting Ireland until the business case is fully examined. Connecting Ireland proposes to expand the public transport…

Examples of upcoming Connecting Ireland routes include: the 978 from Belmullet to Castlebar, supported by Local Link Mayo; the 880 from Naas to Carlow, involving timetable changes; the 183 from Arklow to Sallins, supported by Local Link Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow; the 419A from Clifden to Roundstone to Casla, supported by Local Link Galway; the 419B, serving Carrowroe, Ballinrobe and Claremorris, supported by Local Link Galway; the A79 from Ballinasloe to Castlerea, via Moylough; the A33 from Newbridge to Naas, via Al…

Before Covid-19, officials in my Department had commenced scoping work on a new national aviation policy. Unfortunately, that work has been on hold since 2020 for obvious reasons, that is, due to a focus on the detrimental impact of the pandemic. While we can now see the evidence that the recovery is under way, focus and resources have been diverted towards other objectives, including the terrible situation in Ukraine and the resultant restrictive measures that have been adopted in respect of the Russian Federation…

As for our current policy, the levers I have are through the regional airports programme. Under that programme, which runs from 2021 to 2025, €11.6 million in capital and operational supports was provided in 2021 alone to eligible airports, that is, Ireland West Airport Knock, Kerry Airport and Donegal Airport. There is also support for the public service obligation, PSO, services between Donegal and Dublin. In addition, the Government has provided funding for Shannon and Cork airports, as the Deputy will know, wit…

To give an idea of the policy areas that were identified in the scoping exercise in 2020, the themes included: international context and connectivity; safety and security; infrastructure, operations and enterprise; and sustainability and climate. Aspects for consideration included defining optimal connectivity and looking at how to shape a future direction for both State and regional airports, looking specifically at how best they support the economic and social benefits of the regions they serve. It is also import…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 106 and 122 together. I thank the Deputy and am taking these questions on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. We are acutely aware of the increase in the cost of living in recent months and the Minister recognises the impact that this has had on households across the country. For this reason, he was pleased to be able to introduce a 20% average fare reduction on public service obligation, PSO, public transport services until the end of this year. This initiative is benefiting t…

The decisions on this will be through the 2023 Estimates process, when we will be discussing this issue with our Government colleagues. It has only been a number of weeks since the 20% fare reductions have come into place on the young adult Leap card. The National Transport Authority, NTA, will be carrying out detailed research to determine the impact of fare reductions at that stage when the schemes have been in place for a reasonable amount of time. That will give us far more information. The fact that there has …

On the question of people's working patterns now and hybrid working, I will furnish some further information. As I said, overall PSO passenger numbers are approximately 84% of pre-Covid-19 levels. Passengers are returning in good numbers in most markets with Local Link and Bus Éireann's town services in Limerick and Galway all reporting levels at or similar to 2019 levels. Increasingly, it appears that the primary cause of reduced total passengers is office-based workers travelling less. This is consistent when con…

I agree. We want to encourage people to use public transport. That is the aim with the 20% price reduction and the young adult card. I will relay his point on those issues to the Minister. No matter where you draw the line there will be someone outside it but I hear exactly what he is saying. We want to get people out of their cars and incentivise them to use public transport where they can and make it more affordable for them to do that.

I am taking this question for the Minister so I will raise that with him and ask him to respond to the Deputy directly.

I understand that the National Transport Authority expects to engage support services later this year to undertake the review of the Galway transport strategy and commence the review process at the end of the year. The review will be led by the NTA in co-operation with Galway City Council and Galway County Council. The review process will include consideration of all potential transport modes including light rail. As part of the strategy review work, assessment work will be undertaken in relation to light rail. As …

I must say I agree about park and ride and the urgency of identifying sites if we want to encourage people out of their cars to use public transport. I understand that the NTA is developing its park and ride strategy for Galway and will present it to Galway City Council and County Council in July. As I am sure the Deputy will know, a feasibility study for light rail in Galway will be carried out as part of the review of the strategy and will be considered in the overall framework of the strategy. That will allow fo…

I share the frustration about the progress on public transport options in Galway. There has been the cross-city corridor, the Salmon Weir Bridge and there is some movement with BusConnects but it needs to continue and move faster. I understand the NTA will present the strategy on park and ride sites to both councils in July and that the feasibility study for light rail will be done as part of the overall framework for the Galway transport strategy. That will ensure that it looks at a multi-modal perspective and int…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 86 together. I am responding on behalf of the Minister. As the Deputy may be aware, the BusConnects Dublin preliminary business case was approved by the Government on 8 March of this year, on the Minister's recommendation. Approval of this business case allows the 16 core bus corridors to enter the planning process. The NTA will submit the 16 corridors as 12 applications to An Bord Pleanála. The first of these, from Clongriffin to the city centre, was submitted in April and t…

I thank the two Deputies for their comments, which I will relay to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The BusConnects network redesign for the entire bus network in Dublin, as overseen by the NTA, is being rolled out in 11 phases. It began in 2021 with the launch of the first two phases: the H spine from Howth or Malahide to the city centre in June, and the C spine in November. Phase 3, which was launched in May of this year, consists of two northern orbital routes: the N4 from Blanchardstown to Point Village and the…

This communication with commuters who are trying to travel to work does not sound in any way acceptable. I will certainly raise this with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who I am sure will raise it with the NTA.

The young adult card was launched on PSO services on 9 May, with more than 1,000 applications received by the NTA on the launch day alone. We are currently working on broadening the initiative to include commercial bus services, with the aim to have that in place before the return of third level colleges. This will mean that, nationwide, those aged between 19 and 23 will be able to avail of an average 50% discount in their public transport fares. The initiative, as the Deputy will know, is aimed at supporting our y…