That is what we are hoping to do. I want to again make it clear that the NTA is responsible for the provision, scheduling and timetabling of public transport services nationwide. The Deputy knows that. It works with operators to deliver these services. I mentioned in response to earlier questions that we have secured a significant uplift in PSO funding, a 42% increase. I do not want to get back into supplementary budgets every year to provide services. We need certainty. The N8 route is planned to be implemented as…

To be fair to the Deputy, he has advocated for this. He mentioned he has been asking this question since 2024. The route was planned and approved before I came in as Minister for Transport. Having said that, in this year's budget we were able to secure €1.6 billion to run our public transport network. We have about €960 million in PSO, up 42% on the previous year, which gives us a much higher base. I want to deliver the bus route this year. I have said that before. I do not have an exact date. As is the case with e…

It does come down to money. The Deputy is absolutely right. When I came into the Department of Transport we were very short of money, including PSO funding. Over the term of the previous Government, every year there was a supplementary budget, that is, additional moneys added at the end of every year. We could not plan new services properly. My big focus this year was securing an increase of 43%, up to €940 million. That is a much higher base which means we move into next year with a higher level of funding to prov…

The DART+ programme, including DART+ South West, is a priority investment for me as Minister and for the Department of Transport. Collectively, the programme will triple the length of the electrified Dublin commuter rail network and double its capacity, with customers starting to experience tangible benefits from the middle of next year when services to and from Drogheda come into operation. That is the first iteration of the programme. In terms of DART+ South West specifically, a major milestone was cleared in Nov…

I have not misled the House. I do not do that and the Deputy should withdraw that comment.

This is the first time the Deputy has come into the Chamber for transport questions to even ask about this project. He is feigning an interest in it. Other colleagues across other parties regularly advocate for this. The Deputy does not like good news and he does not like to see any progress on anything because it does not suit-----

-----his political narrative.

I have missed the Deputy from my days in the Department of housing. He continues to barrack people all of the time. He lost that debate too, in the last general election. We are going to deliver this project. We have published an NDP that is fully funded. We are bringing the funding forward on this for DART+ West and DART+ South West. It is clear; I have said it and that is what is happening. There is no resiling from that whatsoever. This period of time is actually the delivery period for many transformational pub…

I have respect for his constituents but it is very difficult to respect the Deputy when he continues to behave in this way. I completely reject what he has said. It is the first time in 18 months that he has come into this Chamber and bothered to take the time to raise this project that apparently he cares so much about. I contrast that with his colleague, Deputy Shane Moynihan, who has regularly raised it, advocated and sought meetings with the NTA.

I do not know how things operate in Sinn Féin but I have a fair idea. The Deputy may get away with bullying people in his own party but he will not bully or barrack me.

Is there any point in even trying to answer?

Pathetic, Eoin, pathetic.

You are pathetic.

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for tabling this important question. I am sure he will agree that Luas Finglas is an exciting project that has the potential to transform Finglas and the wider area around it. There are about 58,000 households in that area. The project will also provide benefits for those living far beyond the immediate community. The park-and-ride facility at St. Margaret's Road and the interchanges with heavy rail and bus at Broombridge, which Deputy McAuliffe and I visited, will allow anyone using those …

As stated, this nearly 4 km extension to the Luas and linking up with heavy rail will be a game-changer for the Dublin north-west area and for the wider north Dublin area as well in light of the interconnection with other services. We are going to bring it forward. Deputy McAuliffe and I have sat down with senior officials from TII and have worked through the details of the plan. The TII did super work in being able to resolve the judicial review. That puts us in a position whereby we can invest and get this projec…

It is good of Deputy McAuliffe to acknowledge former Deputy Noel Rock, who is no longer here. It is very easy to do that, but fair play. It was very magnanimous of Deputy McAuliffe to do so. I have been out there. I know the area very well. TII has done superb work on this. Its public consultation and outreach into communities in respect of the project is an exemplar. We are now at the delivery phase, not just across this project but also in the context of our wider rail network. We will start Luas Finglas and we w…

I thank the Labour Party for tabling this motion, and I will deal with elements of it in my response. I have been struck by many of the responses, many of which have been constructive and well-meaning. Others have not been. Turning specifically to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae, climate change is real and is happening now. The science is indisputable and climate action is critically important to counter climate change. Climate action is also important because it affords us great opportunities here. There are great opportun…

That is why we brought forward the large energy user action plan and the decision of CRU in relation to large energy users. It is a plan-led approach going forward. Any new data centre connections will have to be on the basis of using 80% renewables - new renewables, not existing renewables. This idea that existing renewables will be used up is not correct. We need that plan-led approach. I support the ICT sector, new jobs and new technologies. It is good for us as a country and a small, open economy. We cannot be …

Ridiculous. What kind of populist-----

Increases in supply.