The Finglas Bus Action Group will hold a community protest tomorrow, Monday 8 December at 11am outside SuperValu in Finglas Village as part of a growing campaign for a reliable, frequent and properly connected bus service for Finglas and Glasnevin.
The protest follows a packed public meeting organised by Cllr Conor Reddy (People Before Profit) in the Shamrock Lodge two weeks ago, where residents united around a set of clear priorities for improving the bus network.
More than 400 people then took part in a community survey on the next steps for the campaign. The strongest mandate was for a weekday morning protest in the Village to maintain pressure on the National Transport Authority (NTA), given the continuing disruption caused by BusConnects changes.
At the public meeting and in the survey results, residents identified key demands:
- Rerouting the 23 and 24 to restore the connection from Beneavin Road, Finglas East and Glasnevin North to the city centre and North Inner City.
- Restoring former frequency levels by returning the 23 and 24 to the 10 to 12 minute peak time intervals previously provided by the old 83 and 9 routes.
- Better local connectivity including a direct link between Finglas West and Finglas South and restoring a school connection to Mobhi Road and Drumcondra.
- A major overhaul of the F spine, particularly the F1, so that it provides a service similar to the former 140, linking Finglas West, Finglas South and Finglas Village with Phibsborough, the Mater Hospital and the city.
Last Thursday, public representatives met the NTA. The NTA confirmed that:
- Changes will be made to the 23 and 24, routing them via Cabra, O Connell Bridge and Rosie Hackett Bridge to restore city centre access.
- Timetable adjustments are being prepared to reduce cancellations and improve punctuality.
However, the Finglas Bus Action Group was told that the timeline for these changes is spring 2026. Residents say this is far too long and are calling for an accelerated timetable. Communities cannot continue to cope with poor reliability for another year or more.
On Friday morning, Cllr Conor Reddy received reports of over 20 people left waiting at a single bus stop in Finglas after consecutive F spine cancellations. Residents say this experience is now becoming routine. There were no commitments from the NTA on improving the F spine.
Tomorrow’s protest is one step in a wider campaign and will be followed by a major demonstration outside the Dáil on Tuesday 16 December organised by the Glasnevin Bus Action Group.
Cllr Conor Reddy, organiser of the Finglas Village protest:
"Residents in Finglas and Glasnevin are being failed every day. We have no DART, no Luas and MetroLink and Luas Finglas have both been pushed back again. The only public transport we have is the bus and even that is not working.
"The commitments on the 23 and 24 are welcome but spring 2026 is far too late. People are being stranded at bus stops right now. On Friday I heard of more than 20 people waiting for an F service after consecutive cancellations. This is the daily reality for huge parts of our community.
"We need the frequency of the 23 and 24 restored to what we had with the old 83 and 9. The F spine needs serious reform. And Finglas West and Finglas South must be connected again.
“Tomorrow’s protest shows how broad this alliance has become with residents, community groups and public reps standing together. We will keep the pressure up all the way to the Dáil on the 16th and beyond until Finglas gets the bus service it deserves."