BusConnects Expansion to Cork, Limerick and Galway Advances Through Oireachtas
Legislation is currently advancing through the Oireachtas that will legally empower the National Transport Authority to deliver major public transport projects, including the BusConnects programme, in cities outside of Dublin. The Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 is designed to extend the NTA's remit to include Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford, providing the statutory foundation required for the authority to move forward with physical construction of new bus corridors and infrastructure in these cities.
The Legislation
The Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 is a technical but crucial piece of legislation that addresses a significant gap in the NTA's statutory powers. While the authority has broad powers to plan and deliver transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area, its remit in other cities has been more limited, creating legal uncertainty about its ability to directly oversee the design and construction of major infrastructure projects outside the capital. The bill resolves this ambiguity by explicitly extending the NTA's powers to Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford.
The government has framed the bill as a necessary step to align national infrastructure delivery with the goals of the National Planning Framework and the Climate Action Plan. Both documents identify the development of sustainable public transport networks in Ireland's regional cities as a key priority, and the BusConnects programme is central to achieving this goal. Without the statutory clarity provided by the bill, the NTA would face significant legal risks in proceeding with the physical construction of new bus corridors in these cities.
BusConnects: The Programme
BusConnects is the NTA's flagship programme for transforming bus services in Ireland's major cities. In Dublin, the programme has involved a comprehensive redesign of the bus network, the creation of dedicated bus corridors, and significant investment in new vehicles and infrastructure. The results have been broadly positive, with journey times reduced and passenger numbers increased on many routes. The government is now seeking to replicate this success in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford.
Network redesign plans for Cork, Limerick, and Galway are already in advanced stages, with public consultations completed and revised plans published. The NTA has indicated that the first phase of the BusConnects rollout in Cork is targeted for 2027, subject to the passage of the enabling legislation and the completion of the necessary planning and procurement processes. Limerick and Galway are expected to follow in subsequent years.
Opposition Concerns
During Dáil debates on the bill, opposition members raised concerns regarding the governance and oversight of the NTA, questioning the responsiveness of a national agency to local community needs. Several TDs cited existing delays in regional bus services and school transport as evidence that the NTA's track record outside Dublin is not strong enough to justify giving it expanded powers. They argued for stronger local authority involvement in the planning and delivery of BusConnects in regional cities.
The government has maintained that a centralised delivery model under the NTA ensures consistency, expertise, and efficiency in rolling out such large-scale capital projects. Ministers have pointed to the success of BusConnects in Dublin as evidence that the NTA has the capability to deliver, and have argued that local authority involvement in the planning process — through public consultations and liaison committees — provides sufficient accountability without undermining the efficiency of centralised delivery.
Climate and Sustainability
The expansion of BusConnects to Ireland's regional cities is seen as a key component of the government's climate action strategy. The transport sector is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, and the shift from private car use to public transport is essential if the country is to meet its legally binding emissions reduction targets. The development of high-quality, frequent, and reliable bus services in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford is intended to make public transport a genuinely attractive alternative to the car for the majority of journeys in these cities.
Environmental groups have broadly welcomed the legislation, while calling for the programme to be delivered as quickly as possible. They have argued that the 2027 target for the first phase in Cork is too slow given the urgency of the climate crisis, and have called for additional resources to be allocated to accelerate the programme. The government has indicated that it is committed to delivering BusConnects as quickly as possible, but has cautioned that the complexity of the planning and procurement processes means that timelines cannot be compressed indefinitely without risking the quality of the outcome.
Looking Ahead
The passage of the Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 will be a significant milestone in the development of public transport in Ireland's regional cities. It will remove a key legal obstacle to the delivery of BusConnects and signal the government's commitment to investing in sustainable transport infrastructure outside the capital. Whether the programme delivers on its promise will depend on the quality of its implementation and the willingness of the public in Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford to embrace the new services it provides.
