121. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the Commencement of Local Link route 199 Glendalough to Bray; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46263/26]

As I have mentioned already today, there has been considerable investment in recent years in services throughout the country under the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan, including in County Wicklow. These regular services are providing connections between Carlow and Arklow, Baltinglass and Sallins, Sallins and Arklow, and Shillelagh and Gorey, along with 25 demand responsive routes throughout Wicklow.

This Government is committed to increasing Local Link services in rural areas to better connect villages, towns, and cities, and welcome the demand for these services with passenger journeys on TFI Local Link services increasing year on year to a record 6.97 million in 2025.

However, in the context of finite resources and other challenges such as driver shortages, the focus currently remains on stabilising the PSO programme as a whole and ensuring services already in place can operate reliably and sustainably.

As the NTA approach five years of implementing the Connecting Ireland programme, a more defined focus is on exploring avenues such as Smart Demand Responsive Transport options, which allow for flexible "app-based" pick-up and drop off services. With three pilots currently operational in Achill, Limerick and Killarney, I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot programme in early 2027, and subsequent plans for expansion.