Marian Harkin
Sligo-Leitrim · Independent · Ireland
“I thank Deputy Smith for raising this matter and for highlighting the significant population growth taking place in Swords. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I am interested to hear the Deputy say it is the third largest town in Ireland.”
“Upon receipt of the revised stage 2a report, Department officials carried out an initial review. In early June 2025, a further meeting was held with the wider design team, school authorities and Department officials in attendance.”
“This investment will provide capacity for almost 3,000 additional homes while improving the resilience of essential services in the area. It is a clear example of how targeted infrastructure investment can unlock housing and support sustainable growth.”
“For this reason, we plan and develop public transport in line with the greater Dublin area transport strategy 2022-2042, rather than in isolation, to maximise the use and benefits of each proposal and project.”
“I thank Senator Costello for raising this matter. The Government is committed to preserving our existing roads network. This is demonstrated through the Department of Transport's provision of regular grant funding to eligible local authorities.”
“I thank the Senator. I am of course providing the answers given to me by the Department. As we know, the new Limerick bus network will provide more frequent public transport offerings to more people across Limerick. I hear what she is saying. She is talking about now.”
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“I am willing to come back to the issue in my responses to the debate. It is essential that all apprenticeship programmes remain fit for purpose and continue to reflect real industry skills needs. I thank the House for the opportunity to be here. It is a real honour and privilege to share the work of my Department with this House. It is also important that I listen to what Senators have to say. I look forward to hearing their contributions and to the continued engagement that I hope will strengthen our work together.”
“I am happy to answer questions on any of those programmes. It is also important for people to know that apprenticeships are moving into the public service. The public and civil service can play a key role in the apprenticeship system, including in supporting our goal of inclusion. The public service action plan was published in 2023 and the total apprenticeship population in the public service grew from 373 in 2022 to 566 in 2025. We have made strong progress in growing Ireland's apprenticeship system but further work, of course, is needed. A key priority of Government is ensuring that our apprenticeship model continues to evolve in line with the needs of learners, employers and the wider economy. Pay is an important factor and I am aware that it was discussed in this House last December.”
“The availability of green skills is key to this economy's transition to a climate-resilient and climate-neutral economy. A critical development in this regard was the publication by SOLAS of the first national strategy for FET skills in the green transition, entitled Green Skills 2030. My Department is leading the skills response to Ireland's offshore wind ambitions as well as in many other areas. Again, I am happy to provide further detail later. A core objective of my Department is to ensure that apprenticeships are both inclusive and accessible. This means that apprenticeships are for all groups, but especially for disadvantaged and under-represented groups. We have many different supports including the gender bursary programme, the access to apprenticeship initiative, and the Traveller apprenticeship incentivisation programme.”
“During my term as Minister of State I have had the pleasure of relaunching a level 4 retrofitting course with the team at St. Andrew's Resource Centre. If any Senators know that team, they will know the excellent work they do. I attended the national scaffolding apprenticeship graduation ceremony in Tullamore. I was there when they broke ground at the national demonstration park for MMC in Mount Lucas. I have visited so many companies but will mention one in my own constituency, Vision Built in Tobercurry, which manufactures 2-D and 3-D modular units and does excellent co-operative work with the local school, St. Attracta's. Again, if anybody wants to know more, I can speak about it later. I want to mention briefly green skills and offshore wind.”
“Last month the Minister for further education, Deputy Lawless, and I launched the updated careers in construction plan. I will not go into any detail here because there is a lot in it but if anybody is interested and wants to ask me about it, they can let me know. This plan will reduce barriers to a career in construction and build pathways so that learners can view the construction industry as a place where they can have a thriving and fulfilling career. A modern methods of construction, MMC, action plan was launched last year and is being implemented at a cross-sectoral level. The plan will help to mainstream these new building techniques which will increase productivity and widen access. Again, if anybody wants more detail, I am happy to speak about it afterwards.”
“The range of apprenticeships has expanded significantly, with 78 programmes now, which is nearly three times the number that existed a decade ago. That reshapes public perception and opens new pathways to qualifications that were not previously accessible. It is not just that we have more skilled apprentices; we also have an increase in the number of pathways to gain different qualifications. In October last year I was delighted to launch the first common apprenticeship programme to be developed and delivered on an all-island basis. This apprenticeship, accounting technologist, is a strong example of productive co-operation across the island. Apprenticeships supporting construction, which is a national priority, are at the core of building capacity in the construction sector.”
“In budget 2026, an additional €79 million was provided for apprenticeship delivery, bringing the total investment to just over €410 million per annum, more than double what it was in 2020. As well as that, a further €2.5 billion was allocated to reduce costs for apprentices attending higher education, permanently lowering fees by 17% for more than 14,000 apprentices. Government investment in apprenticeship delivery is showing results. Since 2020, the year my Department was formed, there has been a 77% increase in the number of apprentices. We have moved from 19,600 to 31,165 apprentices today. It is clear that apprentices are voting with their feet because they see this as an important career pathway.”
“It might seem from what I have said that we have a lot of plans, but the truth is they are a follow-up to previous plans and actions that have been taken which are in place and have been achieved. We want to examine and learn lessons from them. As a relatively new Minister of State, who has not been in the job for 12 months, it is great for me to have an opportunity to shape some of what goes into those plans. Let us talk a little bit about apprenticeships. By combining on-the-job employer-based training with off-the-job learning, apprenticeships allow individuals to earn as they learn. They provide a proven route to valuable qualifications and sustained employment. They also enable employers to build a skilled workforce that they and the country needs. Developing and expanding the apprenticeship system is a key priority for Government.”
“My role here today is to outline the work under way in my Department and hear the perspectives of Senators. Apprenticeships are of real interest to many in the House. I want to place a particular emphasis on them in this debate. Equally, I am happy to deal with our new further education and training, FET strategy that is in place, the careers in construction action plan, which we launched about two weeks ago, our work in the green skills area and our action plan for construction which, as the House will be aware, is still in ongoing public consultation. If anybody wants to speak to me about any of those measures, I will try to respond to their questions.”
“I have no doubt. I thank Senators for the kind invitation to address the House. I have addressed the Seanad a few times previously, but never in my capacity as Minister of State. I have spoken on behalf of other Ministers, so it is a real privilege to be here today to address the House. Like the Cathaoirleach, I welcome most sincerely our 2025 Rose of Tralee, Katelyn Cummins, an electrical apprentice. I have met her before. She has done more for the promotion of apprenticeships than any Government programme or Ministers speaking about them because when people see what they can be they understand it could be for them. While Ms Cummins might never have thought this would happen, I want to thank her for that. It has made a real impression and difference and I know it will continue to do so.”
“Families whose household income is under €115,000 can also receive a €500 grant towards their student contribution for this academic year. The threshold for this grant will also increase in September to a very significant €120,000.”
“Otherwise, they are assessed as dependent students, that is, assessed with reference to parental income. Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period may still apply to the awarding authority, SUSI, to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. Mature students living at home may have benefited from recent improvements to the scheme. This academic year, all income thresholds to receive a student grant increased, with standard rate thresholds increasing by at least 15%. In budget 2026, the Minister introduced the first permanent reduction in the student contribution of €500.”
“I think the Minister will be back in a few minutes, but I will respond to this question. The reply states the student grant scheme is a universal scheme and the rules including the means-testing of reckonable income are applied on an equal basis to all students who make an application. In general, for student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances, either as students dependent on their parent or legal guardian or as independent mature students. Students may be assessed as independent students if they have attained the age of 23 on 1 January of the year of first entry or re-entry to an approved further education course or an approved higher education course and they have not been ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous 1 October.”
“We are also having quite a number of promotional activities. The Deputy may have heard of Building Heroes, an excellent programme, with 12 ambassadors who are already in the construction sector undertaking peer-to-peer engagement, telling their colleagues about why it is a career of choice, why it is a top-class career and why they should consider it. There is a lot of work going on.”
“This is again a very important question. I agree with what the Deputy is saying. Perhaps up to now, though it is changing, apprenticeships and sometimes traineeships were seen as a second or third option. They absolutely must be a first option for those for whom they are suitable. We are starting in the schools. There are a number of programmes in transition year. We have the initial vocational education and training, iVET, programme, which is a taster programme in construction available to transition year students. We have SafePass programmes. We are also looking at other programmes to not just encourage students to look at construction as a possible career, but also to break down some of those barriers that exist, including the gender barriers and the underrepresented groups. We are dealing with it from that aspect first of all.”
“Just this week, the Minister and I launched the careers in construction action plan. It includes 36 actions building on the previous plan, which was quite successful. Actually, it was very successful. Again, if the Deputy wants more detail, I can tell him more about it.”
“I absolutely agree with the Deputy regarding the great work being done at Mount Lucas. I think I have been there three times at this stage, looking at its work on modern methods of construction, MMC, its flagship development. Of course, it also has what is called the Skillnet MMC Accelerate platform. That showcases the different career pathways that are available to participate in MMC. It is one thing to have it and to have it developed and have really good work going on, but is another thing to make sure apprentices are aware of it and of the opportunities. The Deputy's question is broader, though, and includes reaction to our NDP, our climate plan, our housing targets and how we are going to ensure we have a sufficient pipeline of apprentices and trainees.”
“That is more than double the allocation in 2020, when this Department was established. The investment has grown the number of apprenticeship programmes from 58 in 2020 to 78 currently, so we can see that investment is increasing significantly, as is the number of different apprenticeship programmes available. Regarding traineeships, SOLAS allocates funding to the education and training boards, ETBs, and that depends on local needs, where they support flexible, targeted training. There are over 75 traineeship programmes available nationally across sectors from construction to retail. A wide range of supports are also funded by my Department to support the participation of apprentices and trainees. I can elaborate on some of those in my further replies.”
“I thank the Deputy. His question relates to expanding apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities. As he is aware, work-integrated learning, where learners apply their studies in real-world settings, is a cornerstone of Ireland’s tertiary education system and this includes apprenticeships and traineeships. Apprenticeships provide structured routes into employment for roles requiring hands-on learning and guaranteed workplace experience, whereas traineeships offer shorter, much more flexible options where work experience is essential. My Department remains committed to investing in apprenticeships and traineeships. In budget 2026, the Government invested €79 million in apprenticeship delivery, bringing the 2026 current apprenticeship budget to over €410 million.”
“I have been to Carlow already and I will visit Kilkenny in the near future, within the next few months and this is a promise, to hear what is happening there. I am very pleased that the project is at this stage and that there is real hope it will be delivered in the near future.”
“It is important to understand what is happening now. The project has been approved to proceed to pre-tender project design, planning and procurement stage with a number of other FETs. When at this stage, the preferred option is subject to more detailed scrutiny, assumptions have to be tested and refined, risks are better understood, and the design is sufficiently advanced to arrive at the detailed business case. This project is at the preliminary business case, which is an in-depth assessment of the project that looks at demand analysis and options analysis and reviews phasing potential and risk assessment. I assure Deputy Cleere it is the intent of the Department to move as quickly as possible with all of the FET colleges.”
“I am grateful to Deputy Cleere for providing me with the opportunity to set out the position for this project in Kilkenny. The Department and I are prepared to continue to work collaboratively with Kilkenny and Carlow ETB via SOLAS to advance this ambition. Capital investment is a key priority for the Department, and I recognise fully the importance of developing, enhancing and supporting the FET sector to allow it to provide high-quality campuses for teaching, learning and research. Let me be clear that the Department, working through SOLAS and in close collaboration with KCETB, will continue to drive this project at pace while maintaining high governance standards. We will deliver a campus that will stand the test of time and deliver for learners, employers and the wider community in Kilkenny.”
“It integrates FET pathways, develops specialist centres, strengthens unified tertiary planning and forges links with regional industries so learners train for real jobs in their local economy. All of this is anchored in the FET strategy's three pillars of building skills, fostering inclusion and facilitating pathways. The pre-tender stage interrogates the preferred option, refines assumptions, advances design to inform the detailed business case, and sets the procurement strategy and project execution plan. It is about certainty on scope, budget, risks and delivery sequencing.”
“At this meeting, the ETBs were informed that they need to prioritise the appointment of design teams for these projects in 2026. This initiative is one of 12 projects in the FET college major capital programme. Since September, eight have progressed to the same pre-tender stage, alongside Kilkenny, and these include Cork, Cavan, Bray, Newcastle West, Clonmel, Galway city and Dublin. Our intent is that all 12 projects will be fully designed and ready to tender within the current national development plan timeline to 2030, with strategic delivery occurring along the same timeline. The FET major capital programme tackles legacy deficits and supports consolidation in high-quality facilities.”
“This proposal aims to and will change that. Kilkenny and Carlow ETB proposes to deliver a flagship facility designed for approximately 1,000 full-time learners and 3,800 part-time learners. The campus will bring together training services, post leaving certificate courses, back to education initiatives, Youthreach, the adult learning service, adult guidance, and youth and community education under one roof and with room to adapt as needs evolve. Following a robust evaluation, the Kilkenny project has been approved to proceed to the pre-tender project design, planning and procurement strategy stage. SOLAS has already commenced preparatory work on standardised tender documentation towards the appointment of design teams. The departmental officials recently met with all 12 of the chief executives who have projects under this programme.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The proposal before us, as he said, is not just another bricks-and-mortar project. It is a strategic investment to deliver an integrated further education and training college for Kilkenny which addresses historical infrastructure deficits and drives the reform we have committed to across the FET sector. As the Deputy told us, a suitable site has been acquired at Joinersfolly, to the south of Kilkenny city. This purchase, coupled with the investment in enabling infrastructure, will consolidate dispersed provision into a single modern campus and deliver a consistent learner experience across a wide range of programmes. As the Deputy said, it is not ideal that provision has been scattered around 15 different locations. It should not matter where people live.”
“Ireland's policy of neutrality means that it does not participate in military alliances or common or mutual defence arrangements. I thank Members for their comments, which reflect the importance of these issues to all of us, and ask them to support the motion.”
“Most Irish people agree that it is important for us to show our ongoing commitment to and support for Ukraine in light of the Taoiseach's commitment to provide comprehensive financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to it and its people at the December European Council meeting. I note the comments of those who disagree with this motion regarding Irish neutrality, but I disagree with them. This financial support will not just help Ukraine with its defence capability - and I underline that - it will also help with the continued functioning of the state and its ability to provide basic public services in order that its people can survive. We have all seen the horrendous pictures of Ukrainians trying to survive in temperatures of -10°C or -15°C following drone attacks by Russia.”
“This is basically for the purposes of stabilisation, humanitarian assistance and non-lethal military support. The motion is entirely consistent with our ongoing position regarding support for Ukraine, which, to date, has included political, humanitarian, non-lethal military and economic assistance. The loan involved is for Ukraine's immediate needs in 2026 and 2027 and does not even factor in the extensive recovery and reconstruction costs Ukraine will face in the future. In response to the request from the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and others, the Government will ensure that the funding provided by Ireland is aligned with our well-established policy of military neutrality as has been the case to date. If people want to know what we will do in the future, they should look at what we have done in the past.”
“It is essential that we do not forget that, Russia in a fundamental violation of the UN Charter and international law, launched an unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, a European country and a fellow member of the UN. Ireland supports increasing the pressure on Russia to halt its brutal attacks, agree to a ceasefire and seriously engage in peace talks with the US and Ukraine. Our continued solidarity with and support for Ukraine in conjunction with our international partners is essential. We know that it has significant financial needs and urgently requires the financial assistance to which the motion relates by the second quarter of this year. As the Minister said, since the onset of the war in February 2022, Ireland's total allocated support to Ukraine amounts to over €464 million.”
“I will begin by thanking all Members for their contributions on the motion, the purpose of which is to seek the approval of Dáil Éireann for Ireland to participate in enhanced co-operation on the establishment of a loan for Ukraine. I have heard Members' comments and reactions. I hope to respond to some of the key points that they raised. We must not lose sight of why we are doing this. Ukraine has experienced almost four years of Russia's illegal aggression against its people and its territory. The brutality of Russia's actions has caused immense suffering and loss for the people of Ukraine, huge economic and fiscal costs and extensive damage to its infrastructure, particularly its energy infrastructure. What we are talking about here is keeping people alive by keeping them warm.”
“I made a special point today of speaking to officials in my Department because I recognise that this is an issue the Deputy has raised on many occasions and an issue to which he wants answers. I fully understand this. The officials from my Department have told me that the Higher Education Authority and University College Cork are meeting in the coming weeks to discuss the next stages of progressing the proposal in regard to the outreach centre. There are a number of issues they have to work out. Student training and student supervision were some of the issues mentioned to me. However, the Deputy should have an update in the near future.”
“I am sure at the committee meeting tomorrow the Deputy will have the opportunity to question the Department representatives. I am not here to defend its figures but I can quote them and I can say that we have increased by 33% the number of students commencing dentistry studies in 2025. That is factually correct. The Department of Health also tells me that we have had a steady increase in the number of registered dentists since 2016, from 2,949 to 3.945 today. The number of registered dentists per 1,000 of population has risen from 61 in 2019 to nearly 72 today. I understand we have to make more progress but those are the figures that have been supplied to me. I assure the Deputy we are committed to responding proactively to future workforce requirements.”
“UCC is refurbishing its dental school and hospital at a cost of €15 million in total, co-funded by the Department of Health and UCC. We have established, as the Deputy said, new dentistry programmes, including one in the RCSI, which commenced in 2025 that will provide at least 20 new dentistry places. I re-affirm my Department's commitment to working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure any future expansion of dental education is grounded in evidence, responds to national needs and is delivered in a sustainable manner. However, I can assure the Deputy that his project is progressing.”
“This initiative aligns with the national oral health policy by adopting a community-based model of dental education, which offers students earlier clinical exposure in real world primary care settings and that enhances their skills and readiness on graduation. While the proposal is promising, it currently delivers limited increases in domestic student places. There is a clear opportunity for both Departments to collaborate further to maximise investment and expand domestic training capacity to meet Ireland’s dental workforce needs. Discussions are currently ongoing between the Department of Health and my Department to try to progress this proposal with a view to maximising Irish and EU places to obtain value for money for this proposal.”
“Ensuring adequate capacity to train future dentists is part of our broader commitment to workforce planning that supports the health and well-being of our population. With regard to the Deputy's specific question, the Department of Health has received a strong proposal from UCC requesting €4.7 million in capital funding to establish a dental outreach centre. This would enable training of an additional ten undergraduate dental students annually, particularly benefiting Irish and EU students. Currently, UCC admits 50 dentistry students annually, comprising 25 EU and 25 non-EU students.”
“I sincerely thank Deputy Burke for raising this important matter concerning the Cork dental hospital and the availability of dental training places. As the Deputy said, he has raised this issue on a number of occasions and I have responded to him. The Government is firmly committed to ensuring our healthcare system is supported by a steady and sustainable pipeline of highly skilled graduates. My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health, the Higher Education Authority, HEA, and the higher education institutions, plays a central role in delivering the education and training infrastructure needed to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare workforce, including in critical areas such as oral healthcare and dentistry.”
“I hear the specific comments she makes on the need to ensure this project is moved forward as quickly as possible. I promise to bring that to the attention of the Minister.”
“I hear what the Senator is saying, that the existing accommodation is not suitable. Things are happening and things are in train, but perhaps the capacity and speed at which they are progressing is an issue for the Senator. I will certainly bring her comments to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Naughton. The Senator said the principal and staff are second to none. I fully understand that because I visit many schools myself. That kind of capacity or empathy can never be questioned. However, it is important to emphasise that, since 2020, the Department has invested over €6 billion in our schools through the national development plan, involving the completion of more than 1,300 school building projects. I hear what the Senator has said. Every one of us is interested in our own constituency and what is happening there.”
“In relation to project roll-out for large-scale projects and additional school accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the period 2026 to 2030.”
“The school is currently located in accommodation in the ownership of the Department of Defence. Pending completion of the new school building project, the Department will continue to work with the patron holder to ensure that the accommodation is appropriate to the school’s needs. I heard what the Senator said about health and safety issues. In July, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan. As part of this allocation, the Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school places.”
“The initial grant of planning decision was appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála in October 2024 and the design team received An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision to grant planning in early February 2025. The Senator can, therefore, see the timeline of what has been happening. All other statutory approvals, such as the disability access and fire safety certificates, were also secured. The project is currently at architectural planning stage 3, tender action and award. The tender returns have recently been received and a review of them is currently ongoing by the design team to formulate a tender report for the Department’s review and comments. On completion of the tender report review by the Department, the letter of intent is expected to issue to the successful tenderer.”
“Stage 1 for Curragh Community College was approved, as the Senator knows, in June 2023 and stage 2A was approved in January 2024. The project then moved to stage 2B of architectural planning and detailed design, where all statutory approvals were secured and a suite of tender documents were prepared. The design team lodged its initial application for planning permission for the preferred design option with the local authority in October 2023. The design team subsequently received a substantial request for further information from the local authority in respect of the planning application. Following its response to the local authority, the design team received the local authority’s initial decision to grant planning permission with conditions on 9 October 2024.”
“I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this matter because it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth to outline to the Seanad the current position in relation to the major building project for Curragh Community College in Magee Barracks, Kildare. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The brief for this project is to provide a new, permanent school building for the school. This project will be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 will deliver accommodation for 425 students, while phase 2 will deliver the remaining accommodation to provide for the long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 students at the former Magee Barracks site in Kildare.”
“I will speak to the Minister, and the Senator and I can speak afterwards about the specific questions she wants answered. I hope I have provided some of the answers but if there is anything else, I am more than willing to listen and pass on the Senator's message.”
“I fully recognise that transport connectivity and reliability are hugely important. That is the case regardless of where one lives. One of the issues the Senator raised was cancellations. As with all previous phases of BusConnects, the NTA is carefully monitoring capacity, punctuality and reliability. Bus cancellations occur for a variety of reasons. It can be due to traffic congestion or a shortage of drivers or mechanics may prevent services from operating. I have looked at the notes and analysis that have been provided to me and they show that we are moving towards a target of 18% for place-of-employment reachability. There is a lot more here, which I wish I could give to the Senator. I certainly heard what she said.”
“I thank the Senator. Obviously, I speak on behalf of the Minister. I would not like the idea to go out that there is stonewalling because I do not think that is the case. If the Minister spoke about this last week in the Dáil, for me to echo his sentiments today is not unreasonable.”
“In planning the redesign of the network, the NTA considered Dublin City Council's plans to transform College Green and Dame Street into a pedestrian friendly plaza which will restrict east-west bus movements through College Green. That is why route 80 was originally routed through Bridge Street. However, customer feedback indicated that continuing along the quays to O'Connell Street would provide greater benefits, including improved bus priority measures and enhanced connectivity through O'Connell Street and onward transport services. The NTA has reviewed this feedback and agrees that change makes sense.”
“In quarter 2 of 2026, route 80 will link with route 130, continuing along the north quays and O'Connell Bridge to Eden Quay and northwards through the city centre to Clontarf. This alignment will maintain a ten-minute peak frequency and provide new connectivity to the Luas green line at O'Connell Street and the DART at Connolly Station, offering passengers more options for onward travel. The NTA acknowledges that, for a variety of reasons, including city centre congestion, route 80 does not meet expectations following its introduction. I heard what the Senator said. When rolling out phases of the BusConnects network, the NTA commenced monitoring of new services, identifying issues and implementing fixes, where appropriate. That is what the Senator has raised today.”
“It is the largest investment in the history of the State and is managed by the NTA. The aim of the network is to improve the existing Transport for Ireland system through enhanced services, with high-frequency spines and new local orbital and radial routes. As the Senator is aware, on 28 November, following customer feedback and engagement with public representatives, the NTA announced a two-stage plan to revise route 80. From early 2026, route 80 will operate from Liffey Valley to Chapelizod on a revised alignment along the quays, crossing the Liffey at O'Connell Bridge rather than Bridge Street and running through College Green and Great South George's Street. This temporary measure will improve access to the city centre ahead of the planned pedestrianisation of College Green.”