Christopher Samson

National Transport Authority

The NTA keeps Ireland moving. We're a statutory, non-commercial, organisation reporting to the Department of Transport and responsible to the people of Ireland. Our job is to supervise the provision and regulation of public passenger land transport services, including state-subsidised bus and rail services through Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland and Irish Rail. We also provide Luas tram services in Dublin by contract, license commercial bus services and regulate the small public service vehicle sector (taxis, hackneys and limousines). On the national stage, the NTA manages the Rural Transport Programme and transport co-ordination units (TFI Local Link). We provide integrated / multi-modal ticketing (TFI Leap Card), journey planning information, real-time-passenger-information, mapping, and are improving integration of public transport fares. We prepare submissions on regional planning guidelines and on other significant planning proposals throughout Ireland, undertake strategic planning of transport investments in all public transport infrastructure and develop the effective management of traffic and transport demand. To keep you in the picture, we collect and publish statistics and information on transport and enforce EU passenger rights in rail, maritime and bus and coach transport. The NTA also undertakes a number of functions on a non-statutory basis, including planning and funding sustainable transport projects in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, administering the Smarter Travel Workplaces programme, managing the Green Schools Travel programme and providing accessibility funding to transport operators and other relevant bodies. And that's how we keep Ireland moving.