Driving the Future: Go-Ahead Ireland Welcomes Minister Darragh O’Brien to Ballymount Depot

This week, Go-Ahead Ireland was delighted to welcome Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Transport and Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, to our Ballymount Depot. As the central hub of our Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area (ODMA) network and our provincial headquarters, Ballymount provided the perfect backdrop to showcase the scale and dedication behind our daily operations.

A First-Hand Look at Operations

Accompanied by Managing Director Dervla McKay and our Senior Leadership Team, the Minister engaged in an in-depth tour of our facilities. The visit offered an opportunity for the Minister to meet the people who keep our network moving:

• Engineering: The Minister spent time in our workshop with our Heavy Vehicle Mechanics and Apprentices, as well as our newest team members who have joined us from across the globe. It was a great opportunity to showcase the vibrant mix of experience and fresh talent in our engineering team, all working together to ensure our fleet is the safest on the road.
• The Command Centre: In our Control Room, the Minister observed the real-time management of the ODMA network. This included a direct look at the 33A/B, 102, and 197 routes - services within his own constituency - which we proudly operate on behalf of the National Transport Authority (NTA).
• Frontline Leadership: The visit concluded with a meet-and-greet with our Supervisors and Drivers, the direct link between our business and the commuting public.

Strategic Discussions for a Growing City

The visit comes at a pivotal moment. Following recent high-level meetings regarding congestion in the Greater Dublin Area and the future of public transport safety, our leadership team sat down with the Minister to discuss the path forward.

A key highlight of the meeting was an update on our Northwest Business Park depot. This new facility is a cornerstone of our expansion, housing many of our routes north of the River Liffey and supporting the continued rollout of the BusConnects Network Redesign.

Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Go-Ahead Ireland, commented:

"It was a pleasure to host Minister O’Brien and demonstrate the hard work that goes into every journey. From addressing congestion to ensuring passenger safety, we are committed to working closely with our key stakeholders to deliver a world-class service for our growing communities."

We would like to thank the Minister and his office for the opportunity to discuss the future of Irish public transport and the vital role our team plays in connecting communities.