Opening Statement by Anne Shaw, NTA CEO, to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport on 1 July 2026
“Thank you for the invitation to appear before the Committee today to discuss the work of the National Transport Authority in planning, investing in and delivering sustainable transport across Ireland.
I am joined by Hugh Creegan, Deputy CEO and Director of Transport Planning and Investment, Jeremy Ryan, Director of Public Transport Services, and Bernard Higgins, Director of Transport Technology.
I took up the role of Chief Executive late last year at a time of strong passenger demand, significant Government investment and a focus on delivery. People want reliable, safe, frequent, accessible, and sustainable services, with sufficient capacity, clear information and modern fare payment systems. Our responsibility is to meet that demand with ambition, discipline and a clear focus on delivery that supports the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the State.
The NTA is a statutory, non-commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of Transport. We plan, develop and fund sustainable transport nationally, including public transport, walking and cycling. We also regulate commercial bus services, the small public service vehicle sector and vehicle clamping, manage major capital programmes for the Department, and act as approving authority for BusConnects, DART+ and MetroLink.
Continuous engagement with the public and elected representatives
Our work is informed by continuous engagement with the public and elected representatives, including approximately 450,000 public contacts each year and almost 6,000 parliamentary questions in 2025 with over 3,000 received so far in 2026. That engagement, together with our annual customer satisfaction surveys, gives us a clear view of where services are working well, where pressures exist and where further improvement is needed.
Connecting Ireland is one of the clearest examples of the impact of targeted investment. Since 2021, the programme has improved rural mobility through new and enhanced public transport services delivered with our Transport Co-ordination Unit partners. In 2025 alone, 36 new or enhanced services were introduced, adding capacity and improving connections to 31 towns and villages, with better access to employment, education, healthcare and social opportunities.
In urban areas, BusConnects is reshaping bus services and supporting growing demand. Seven phases have now been introduced in Dublin, giving passengers access to 15 24-hour services. The key Spine routes have improved frequency, simplified alignments and increased capacity. Planning continues for the introduction of new bus network redesigns in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, with the intention to roll out the first phase in Cork during 2027.
BusConnects will deliver 230 kilometres of bus priority measures across Dublin which will support more punctual and reliable services. In addition, 200 kilometres of cycle infrastructure and improved pedestrian facilities will be provided, delivering safer environments for the most vulnerable road users. Similiar programmes are planned for Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Construction has commenced on key bus corridors in Dublin, including Liffey Valley to City Centre and Ballymun and Finglas to City Centre in Dublin with procurement of a contractor for a third corridor to commence in the coming months. Challenges are still being faced with judicial reviews on several corridors, but a number of these have now been resolved and we continue to work through the remainder to enable future delivery of these vital corridors.
Major national rail and metro projects are also advancing.
MetroLink will provide a high-capacity, high-frequency automated metro corridor from Swords to the south city centre, linking Dublin Airport with Irish Rail, DART, bus and Luas services. It includes 16 new stations, 11 underground, and a park-and-ride facility at its terminal point in Swords. The granting of the Railway Order in January 2026 was a major milestone, and work is progressing to obtain Approval Gate 2 authorisation under the Infrastructure Guidelines, permitting the seeking of tenders for the main construction contracts.
DART+ is the largest heavy rail investment scheme in the history of the State and will significantly increase capacity and frequency between Dublin city centre and surrounding areas including Drogheda, Dunboyne, Maynooth, Celbridge and Greystones. New train carriages have been delivered and are being tested, with the first 65 battery-electric carriages expected to enter service from 2027, subject to completion of that process.
Consultation has also begun on phase 2 of Cork Area Commuter rail to help advance new stations, improve others and increase commuter services in Cork.
We are also modernising the public transport fleet by centralising bus and coach procurement for all PSO services, transitioning to zero-emission vehicles for urban services and upgrading depot infrastructure. By the end of 2025, 364 battery-electric buses were operating across the TFI network, with further expansion planned and depot electrification works underway. While there have been delays in delivering charging infrastructure at depot sites due to procurement and planning issues, all electric buses purchased by the NTA that are not yet in operation are expected to enter service in Dublin in Q3 2026, with Galway following by the end of Q1 2027.
Accessibility is central to building a transport system for all. All buses and coaches on TFI services are now wheelchair accessible, supported by continued investment in low-floor vehicles, separate wheelchair and buggy spaces, and improved passenger information. We also continue to support Iarnród Éireann in making stations more accessible, with €11.3 million invested in 2025 and €10.3 million allocated in 2026.
The TFI Independent Travel Support service assists passengers with additional needs to use public transport independently and confidently, ensuring the public transport system is inclusive. In 2025, Dublin Bus delivered 1,785 assists and Bus Éireann delivered 1,684 across Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and newly expanded services in Drogheda and Dundalk, with pilots also under way in two TFI Local Link offices.
Active travel is another major area of delivery. In 2025, almost €300 million was allocated to local authorities for walking and cycling infrastructure. More than 1,075 kilometres of infrastructure has been delivered since 2021, including safer routes to school, improved footpaths and new cycling facilities.
We are also improving bus stop infrastructure through BusConnects, Connecting Ireland, the Active Travel Investment Programme and the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme, which allocates €500,000 annually to each local authority to upgrade bus stops to minimum standards.
Investment in technology is improving the passenger experience. Following a successful pilot in Cavan Monaghan, contactless payment for single journeys is being rolled out across TFI Local Link services and is due to be available nationwide by the end of this year.
The Next Generation Ticketing project is also progressing on schedule and within budget. It will replace the existing Leap Card infrastructure with a contactless payment system across rail, Luas and bus services. The programme includes upgrades to approximately 240 railway station gates, around 1,000 station validators and more than 2,800 on-bus validators in the Greater Dublin Area. New validators will begin appearing next year, with contactless payments available from 2028, while Leap Cards, Free Travel Passes and discounted fare products continue to be supported.
We are also modernising on-board bus technology through the introduction of a single, advanced Automatic Vehicle Location system. The system is scheduled to go live in Waterford City in July and is planned for broader roll out across all PSO bus operators over 2026 and 2027.
Together with improvements in operational procedures, this technology will improve the accuracy and reliability of passenger information and tackle the phenomenon of “ghost buses”.
The impact of these programmes is clear in passenger numbers. In 2025, passenger journeys reached 363.5 million, almost 20 million more than the previous year, with growth continuing into 2026. Dublin Bus carried 164 million passengers, Bus Éireann 53.6 million and Go-Ahead Ireland 26 million, while both Iarnród Éireann and Luas each carried more than 55 million passengers.
At local and regional level, TFI Local Link recorded almost 7 million journeys and town bus services carried 1.2 million passengers. Overall, more than 90 percent of passengers report satisfaction with their most recent journey, and more than eight in ten report a positive overall experience.
This success also highlights the constraints we face. Demand is exceeding supply in many areas, particularly at peak times, and there is strong demand for further expansion through programmes such as Connecting Ireland and BusConnects. Our ability to respond is limited by driver and mechanic availability, fleet supply, depot capacity and the time required to plan and deliver major infrastructure.
Exchequer funding for PSO services in 2026 was at the highest levels it has ever been. However, with increasing costs due to inflationary and congestion impacts, we have not been able to add any new services during 2026. We are, however, working closely with the Department of Transport to assess funding alongside fare revenues which will maintain existing services, introduce new phases of Bus Connects in Dublin and Cork and increase capacity on routes where there is higher demand.
The overall direction remains positive. Passenger demand is strong with indications of increased passenger numbers again in 2026. Investment is delivering results and the benefits of improved services are clear. The NTA remains committed to delivering high quality public transport services for everybody working with our partners and remains focused on building a more connected, accessible and sustainable transport system for communities across Ireland.
Thank you and we look forward to addressing any questions you may have.”