113. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Transport his plans to expand late-night transport services across the State. [52633/26]

As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators.

Night-time bus services offers clear benefits, including providing reliable travel options for late-night workers, supporting the night-time economy, and promoting environmental sustainability by reducing reliance on private cars.

In terms of extending the service operating hours, BusConnect's Network Redesign, as I have no doubt you are aware, is a transformative programme of investment in the bus system, aimed at improving public transport services across the city, by strengthening the existing TFI system through enhanced services with high frequency spines and new local, orbital and radial routes. As part of the Redesign, the NTA has introduced fifteen 24-hour bus services such as E1, E2, F1, and F2, across the city in recent years, significantly enhancing both late night and early morning travel options.

This has allowed more people, particularly night-time and shift workers to use and avail of public transport services. In addition, there are 12 Nitelink services which run from the city centre to suburbs on Friday and Saturday nights, providing extra capacity during peak late-night demand periods.

I do consider that there may be merit in extending operating hours to additional routes, however it is essential that any planning considerations for the NTA are both operationally justified and financially sustainable within resource allocations.

In light of the NTA’s responsibility in this area, I have forwarded the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.