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cost of living are going to face fare hikes. I want the Minister to commit to retaining the reductions in public transport fares as part of this year's budget. Earlier this year we were warned by officials in the Department of public expenditure that key infrastructure projects … hear that services will be cut also. If the Government is trying to reduce carbon emissions and get people onto public transport, it cannot hike up the fares in this year's budget. We need an affordable, sustainable and reliable public transport system across every village, town

that have responsibility for day-to-day operational matters. The NTA also has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation, PSO, contracts. However, unlike PSO services - where the NTA sets, monitors, and regulates fares … citizens, including children. Under the programme for Government, our commitments include the roll-out of contactless payments, keeping fares affordable and examining the further expansion of free public transport for children. In recent years, the Government has introduced a range of fare initiatives aimed at improving the affordability

Deputy that the Government remains committed to making public transport as accessible and equitable as possible. The Minister for Transport has met, and will continue to meet and listen to, the representatives of the commercial operators. While fare initiatives have delivered clear benefits for passengers, they also carry … financial implications, emphasising the need to balance affordability with long-term sustainability of the public transport system. Any decision regarding fare initiatives will be a matter for Government decision during the annual Estimates process. The equity point the Deputy made is valid. I will relay and press

outdated policies and unequal treatment. Let us start with the unfair exclusion of commercial operators from public fare reduction schemes. This has created a two-tier public transport system. Passengers who rely on private operators, many in rural and urban areas, are denied the cost-of-living supports … This is not the situation at present as a result of the unequal and unfair application of the 20% fare reduction scheme to customers of NTA-licensed public transport services. If this is not addressed, it will further undermine the sustainability of commercial bus operators which are already

compiled by Jim Power in 2024. It was commissioned by the Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland. The report highlighted that unequal application of fare supports is creating an uneven playing field between public service operators and licensed commercial operators. Extending free travel to under-nines on commercial … indicate that after adjusted fare levels and even factoring in occasional long-distance trips, the total cost for the entire country is unlikely to exceed €1 million annually. Large swathes of this country have either a non-existent or a very poor public transport service and are dependent

expansion of the fare scheme to include commercial operators, specifically the inclusion of commercial operators in the free public transport initiative for the under-nines, is a must as we go forward. We cannot have a two-tier system, which will lead, if it continues, to private

James Geoghegan - To discuss preventing judicial reviews of critical infrastructure projects. Deputy George Lawlor - To discuss the inclusion of commercial bus operators in fare reduction schemes. Deputy Pa Daly - To discuss the reopening of Rattoo Round Tower, closed for 15 years for maintenance works by OPW. Deputy Louis … Murchú· - To discuss the failure to provide an SNA for a primary school child. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss the lack of school transport for children in special schools in Cork. Deputy Matt Carthy - To discuss the impact of delays of SENO allocations on pupils and families

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will abolish public transport fares as a cost of living, air quality and climate action measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51850/25

Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to "roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport" [51712/25

Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport his plans to extend the Leap card fare system to areas like Mullingar, and beyond, in order to deliver fairer and more affordable access to public transports to people outside of Dublin; and if he will make a statement

Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport the amount of Leap card fare revenue collected in each year since 2016 across all TFI services in respect of credit on cards that was expended on public transport journeys, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement