Go-Ahead Ireland celebrates five years serving the greater Dublin region
11 months ago
Go-Ahead Ireland is proudly celebrating five years in public transport service operations this year. Since it began operating in the greater Dublin region in 2018, the transport operator has grown to a team of more than 800 colleagues running 33 routes including five commuter routes.
As the company celebrates its anniversary, the latest NTA performance figures show that Go-Ahead Ireland is Dublin’s best performing public transport bus operator. In 2023, Go-Ahead Ireland also reported a 33% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers, the highest percentage increase in the capital. Its commuter services also carried over two million passengers in 2023, a 54% year-on-year increase and one of the highest outside of Dublin city centre.
Over the past five years, Go-Ahead Ireland has provided safe, accessible, and reliable public transport services to millions of people throughout Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, and Meath. Working alongside the National Transport Authority (NTA) and other public transport operators, Go-Ahead Ireland has firmly established itself as part of the region’s public transport network and the communities that it serves.
Go-Ahead Ireland’s Ballymount depot, which operates its ODMA routes, opened in 2018, followed by the Naas depot, which operates its commuter services. The Ballymount depot is currently undergoing a large expansion that will allow for 60 additional bus spaces, bringing its total capacity to 200 buses. Recruitment efforts for bus drivers reached an all-time high in 2023, with its training schools continuously at full capacity.
In addition to participation in public transport campaigns such as the Pride Bus Launch, BusConnects Phases 2, 4, 5a, and 5b, and the JAM Card launch, Go-Ahead Ireland has partnered with a wide range of charities, community groups, and organisations including Dublin GAA, Down Syndrome Ireland, and Vision Ireland.

Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Go-Ahead Ireland, said: “Five years of public transport operations in the Dublin region is a huge accomplishment for Go-Ahead Ireland.
“Since 2018, we have remained committed to our ambition of providing reliable, accessible, and friendly public transport services, and as a result we are the fastest growing, most reliable bus operator in the region.
“Over the past five years, as passengers have trusted us to get them to their destinations, we’ve built connections not just on the routes we operate but also in the communities we serve.
“Each and every one of our colleagues – from those who have been with us from the very start to those currently in training – bring dedication and positivity to their work every day, and that is what makes Go-Ahead Ireland a great place to work for engineers, bus drivers, cleaners, customer care representatives, and everyone in between.
“Go-Ahead Ireland will continue to provide the greater Dublin area with excellent service, friendly interactions, and dedication to our community. We are grateful for the trust and support these past five years – here’s to many more.”