Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has warned that road funding is insufficient to protect Ireland's €31 billion network.
Its chief executive told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport that funding levels are "insufficient" to renew ageing assets.
Lorcan O’Connor said motorways, the railway network, and Ireland’s roads need "steady and reasonable investment" to be kept safe and useable.
He said the level of funding available to maintain the asset value of the roads network and improve efficiency and safety is "challenging".
He said, as a result, programmes are prioritised based on safety surveys and assessments.
TII is facing challenges around ageing infrastructure, increased congestion and the need for climate adaptation, he said.
Mr O’Connor said additional funding is now required to "effectively maintain the network and address the challenges of resilience and climate change".
He said the review of the National Development Plan requires "important investment decisions" to ensure maximum value for the State.
He told the committee that since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, traffic on the M50 has increased by around 10%.
The number of people using Luas services is also continuing to grow, with around 60 million passengers expected to travel on the Luas in 2026.
He said TII is planning further timetable changes for next year "to try to cater for increasingly high levels of demand".
Mr O’Connor said the country’s light rail network is worth around €2bn, with TII currently spending around €115 million per year to run trains and maintain the network.
It will bring in ticket revenues of around €60 million this year, the committee heard.
However, the chief executive said around €1.8bn over the next 20 years will need to be spent renewing rail infrastructure and vehicles around the country.
'Level of concern’ around Greenway programme
TII acknowledged the "level of concern" around the delivery of the Greenway programme.
Farmers previously highlighted concerns around compulsory purchase orders for the development of greenways around the country.
Mr O’Connor told the committee that TII is working with the Department of Transport to address these concerns.
The department is also reviewing its Greenway Strategy which will involve consultation with local authorities and interest groups, he said.
The transport operator will also review the Code of Practice for Greenways to consider route selection, safety standards, accessibility, environmental stewardship, and user experience.
Sinn Féin TD Louis O’Hara said he has received complaints from landowners who feel they have not been involved in the process, adding they are the "most important stakeholders".
Labour senator Nessa Cosgrove said landowners feel "frustrated" and "not listened to".
Mr O’Connor also told TDs and senators that there has been a "notable uptick" in electric vehicles (EVs) "in parallel" with the conflict in the Middle East and its subsequent impact on the fuel industry.
He said demand for electric vehicles is growing and there are now around a quarter of million electric vehicles in Ireland.
The number of EVs grew by over 63,000 last year, Mr O’Connor said.
