Dublin: Ireland’s public transport sector is turning abroad to fill critical staff shortages, with Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus preparing to recruit foreign drivers as part of an expanded national transport initiative. The move aims to meet growing demand under the BusConnects programme and the Department of Education’s school transport scheme.
Officials told the Oireachtas Transport Committee that Ireland will need at least 2,000 additional drivers over the coming years to sustain the expansion of public and school transport services. Representatives from Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, and the National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed that recruitment efforts are already underway, with international hiring expected to begin in the autumn.
A nationwide campaign by Bus Éireann is currently in progress, in collaboration with a departmental taskforce, to attract drivers with Category D licences. The NTA representative noted that public transport services will expand significantly over the next three years.
Despite hiring 500 new employees last year, the demand for drivers remains high—particularly in Cork, where shortages are most acute. Dublin Bus CEO Billy Hann said recruiting both drivers and mechanics continues to be a major challenge. Since January 2022, the company has hired over 1,000 drivers, with recruitment averaging 400 new hires per year.
To address persistent gaps, Hann confirmed plans to travel to South Africa to recruit qualified drivers, including those with D or B licences, although he noted that training drivers with standard licences is both time-consuming and costly.
Ireland’s public bus network, which has been operating for over 57 years, now carries 178,000 students daily on 10,600 routes under the Department of Education’s scheme—a 5% increase in tickets issued compared to last year and 50% growth since 2018.
Under current eligibility rules, primary school students living more than 3.2 km from their school and post-primary students living over 4.8 km away are entitled to school transport services.
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien also confirmed discussions with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan on plans to establish a Uniformed Security Unit for public transport. The new officers would have powers of arrest and detention to enhance safety across the network.
Meanwhile, about 200 drivers—many of them Indians—have already arrived in Ireland, having relocated from Poland, Malta, Portugal, and Spain. Those currently residing in Europe with valid driving licences, including Indian nationals, are expected to be given priority consideration in the next phase of recruitment.
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