NTA’s Opening remarks by CEO Anne Shaw, at the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy:
“Cathaoirleach, Committee Members, thank you for the invitation to appear before the Committee today to discuss the NTA’s compliance with Section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, as amended.
I am joined by Hugh Creegan, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Transport Planning and Investment at the NTA.
NTA’s role in sustainable transport
“The NTA is a statutory, non-commercial State body under the aegis of the Department of Transport. We have responsibility for planning, developing and funding sustainable transport across Ireland, including public transport services and infrastructure, walking and cycling investment, and major programmes including BusConnects, DART+ and MetroLink. Climate action is therefore closely connected with our core functions.”
Embedding climate action across the organisation
“Section 15 requires public bodies, in so far as practicable, to perform their functions in a manner consistent with the furtherance of the national climate objective, the most recent Climate Action Plan and other relevant national climate plans and strategies.
For the NTA, this obligation is embedded across our corporate, strategic, appraisal and environmental assessment frameworks. Our Statement of Strategy 2026-2030, Sustainability Strategy 2024-2030 and Climate Action Roadmap provide the overarching framework for integrating climate considerations across our functions. The Climate Action Roadmap is approved by the NTA Board, reviewed annually and supported by ongoing reporting through the SEAI Monitoring and Reporting system. This framework influences how we plan services, develop policy, appraise investment and make decisions.”
Climate considerations in transport investment
“For capital projects, climate considerations form part of the appraisal and approval process. The Government’s Transport Appraisal Framework incorporates the National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland, under which decarbonisation is one of four national transport investment priorities. Project appraisal considers greenhouse gas emissions and climate adaptation, with major projects also subject, where applicable, to statutory environmental assessment.
The practical objective is to give more people realistic alternatives to private car use and to reduce emissions from the public transport system itself.”
Record growth in public transport use
In 2025, more than 363 million passenger journeys were made on subsidised public transport services, the highest number on record and around 69 million more journeys than in 2019. This reflects investment in additional services and capacity through programmes including BusConnects and Connecting Ireland, as well as light rail and heavy rail enhancements.”
Progress in decarbonising the bus fleet
“We are also making significant progress in decarbonising the urban bus fleet. By the end of 2025, the NTA had added 364 zero-emission battery-electric buses to the urban bus fleet. Athlone’s town bus service has been zero-emission since January 2023, and Limerick’s city bus network is now operated entirely by 61 zero-emission battery-electric buses after an investment of €54 million in the buses and the charging infrastructure to support their operation.
Alongside the battery-electric fleet, a total of 226 hybrid buses are currently in operation in Dublin, Galway and Cork. Our objective is to transition the Public Service Obligation (PSO) urban bus fleet to zero-emission by 2035, supported by the construction of new bus depots, the continued electrification of existing bus depots and further purchases of battery-electric buses”
Expanding rail electrification
“Rail electrification is another important part of that transition. For example, the DART+ Programme will greatly expand the reach and capacity of the electrified rail network across the Greater Dublin Area, bringing DART services to communities along the railway lines to Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Celbridge, and Drogheda. With Cork Commuter rail also planning to add new stations and services, this investment will continue to increase capacity, enabling many more people to choose sustainable transport, while reducing congestion and improving air quality.”
Investment in active travel
“Active travel is also central to our approach. In 2026, more than €300 million has been allocated through the NTA’s Active Travel Programme. Since 2020, more than 1,000 kilometres of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure has been delivered across the country. In Dublin, the proportion of adults cycling five or more days a week increased from 8% in 2023 to 12% in 2025.”
Supporting network expansion
“We know that the committee will also be concerned about the impact of the recent fares determination. The increased PSO funding allocation in Budget 2027, coupled with this additional revenue from these fare changes, will support the continued expansion of the public transport network, making it a more reliable and accessible option for more communities. Approximately 140 new or enhanced bus routes are planned for implementation in 2027, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.”
Climate action at the core of transport planning
“The NTA recognises that compliance with Section 15 is an ongoing obligation. Our approach will continue to develop as national climate policy, appraisal methodologies and our understanding of transport emissions evolve, supported by the annual review of our Climate Action Roadmap and improvements in how we measure and report emissions.
For the NTA, the national climate objective is an integral consideration in how we plan the future transport network, assess investment, expand and decarbonise public transport, and perform our statutory functions.”
“Cathaoirleach, I hope this provides a helpful overview of our approach to Section 15. We welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters with the Committee and will be happy to answer Members’ questions.”