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Éireann" and substitute the following: "affirms Government's efforts to: — deliver a more frequent, reliable, accessible and sustainable public transport network; — rollout contactless fare payments on all public transport, and keep fares low and affordable; — place the Public Service Obligation (PSO) programme on a more sustainable footing; — support … implemented, patronage rose by 38 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and is up by 165 per cent compared to early 2019; — passenger fare revenue is a critical component of the funding base, and is essential to maintaining the financial sustainability of the network into the future; — since

delivery of BusConnects and Connecting Ireland, commuter rail expansion and future investment, while ensuring public transport remains reliable, accessible and affordable. The proposed fare adjustments are necessary to underpin these objectives and support the long-term sustainability of the network. Maintaining affordable fares must be balanced with ensuring … year, supporting people to make that switch from private car use, it is important to recognise Ireland has maintained an effective eight-year fare freeze alongside targeted affordability measures, including the young adult card, free travel for children up to nine years old and the 90-minute fare

deliver the services and 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. In its capacity as fare regulator, the NTA under … responsibilities within the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 made the decision to publish a new fares determination on 3 September 2026, with the revised fares taking effect from January 2027. This is a critical step in standardisation of the national fares structure and in line with the national

time when fuel costs are spiralling out of control; — the National Transport Authority (NTA) has acknowledged that increasing fares will result in fewer people using public transport; — affordable public transport helps to reduce household costs, tackle transport poverty and help workers and families cope with the rising cost … living; and — commuters are being asked to pay higher fares while continuing to endure unreliable and overcrowded services, including so-called "ghost buses" that simply fail to turn up, leaving workers, students and families stranded and out of pocket; further notes that: — the Government has prioritised pay rises

thank the Deputy for the question. As he is aware, the NTA in its capacity as fare regulator, recently announced the revised national fare structure to take effect from January 2027. While adult fares will increase by an average of 15%, child fares are being reduced in several … areas nationally. This represents the first broad adjustment to fares since 2018 and follows a period in which operating costs have risen sharply. In the Dublin commuter zone, in regional cities, in participating towns, and on TFI Local Link services, a new reduced child rate will apply

statutory body responsible for regulating fares across services operated under the PSO contracts the National Transport Authority is central to shaping a public transport system that is fair, efficient and accessible. Through its management of fare strategies, it helps to ensure pricing structures support social inclusion and modal … shift while also underpinning the financial viability and resilience of the network. A significant milestone under the national fares strategy was reached in July 2026, when a simplified fare structure already in place in Dublin was extended to Cork. Passengers there can now avail

should be building on those investments, not undermining them by pushing people away from public transport. For every 10% increase in public transport fares, ridership is estimated to fall by 3%. Instead, the Government has decided to place another financial burden on individuals and families who are already … struggling through a cost-of-living crisis, with public transport fares set to increase by an average of 15%. This will have a significant impact on those individuals and families who rely on public transport. For many people living in my constituency of Dublin Central, the impact will

thank Deputy Ahern for his question. As the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I have said, the recently announced change in fares were the first revision in eight years. The change is aimed at supporting not just the continued expansion but also the improvement of public transport … Department of public expenditure as part of the annual Estimates process, which has not yet concluded, for next year. On an overall basis, fare revenue only covers approximately 38% of the cost of operating the PSO services nationally, with the remaining costs funded by the Exchequer

choice. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, they have chosen now as a good time to hike up public transport fares - not by the rate of inflation, which is 3% or 4%, but by an average of 15%, and far more for some journeys … example, standard fares in Limerick, Galway and Waterford are going up by 26% under the guise of simplification. Child rail commuter fares in Cork are actually increasing by 130% because of new rules around standardisation. For a short hop journey on Dublin Bus, the fare is rising

Minister and everyone here knows these fares are illogical. We have a cost of-living crisis. Again, the Minister knows and everyone knows that people are really struggling. We want to get people out of cars and into public transport, and the Government doing this by increasing fares … completely counterproductive. People are talking about average increases of 15%. In Dublin, the short Leap fare is going to increase by 33%. I have been speaking to people in my constituency. They are very frustrated and angry. They are really going to be hit by this. The Dublin

expansion of bus services all over the country and at the same time they saw a 20% cut in everybody's public transport fares, a 50% cut for young adults and the securing of the funding to ensure under-nines could go free. Those were political choices made … people are going to pay more for them. That is the difference at the heart of this. Do we look to keep fares low and continue to enhance services or do we go with the Minister's approach whereby we can have one or the other? My colleagues

thank the Minister of State for the response. Will he please expand on his comment that child fares in several areas will be addressed? We in Sinn Féin believe that fares should be abolished completely for anybody up to 18 years of age. What exact areas does … mean? The Minister of State also mentioned that, due to inflation, fares were 8% lower in real terms but what he failed to say was that, between 2008 or 2009 and 2016, there was an incremental increase in fares. Will he give us a guarantee that there will

Just to let the Minister of State know, the fare hike came into Cork in July. What that means for adults going to work, college or hospital appointments is an extra €240 a year. On top of that now we will see the price … train. If you get the train or the bus you are going to see your fares going up. Has the Minister of State conducted any tests to see if people can afford to absorb these fare hikes? People are telling me they are being priced out. He talks

thank Deputy O'Gorman very much. I understand that nobody welcomes a fare increase but we are making a choice here to continue the progress that we have made in public transport because a low fare is no good if there is not a bus. There … enough buses so that there is a bus when somebody goes to get the bus. The only factor is not the fare but sometimes whether a person will get a seat or if there is a route. There are parts of this country where public transport is still

decision to hike the cost of public transport fares is a deeply short-sighted move. Every day, thousands of commuters are forced on to overcrowded and often unreliable services. From January, these people are going to have to pay more to get to work, school, college … cost-of-living crisis the Government is telling people the cost of yet another everyday essential is going to rise. This fare hike decision makes no sense. It stands in stark contrast to the massive pay rises handed out to the CEOs of transport companies. At a time

Increasing public transport fares during a cost-of-living crisis is wrong. It is short-sighted, unfair and hits those least able to afford it hardest, namely, young people, students, pensioners, workers and families already struggling to make ends meet. People are being asked to pay more … service that is already falling short. Simply put, it is higher fares for an incomplete service. The National Transport Authority, NTA, has noted that a 10% fare increase results in a 3% decline in passenger numbers. Why are we making public transport more expensive when we should

address the overcrowding on our public transport services. We are now met with, "Hold all that; we're going to increase the fares." I will make this plea. Has anyone from the opposite side of this House sat on the M7 in the morning for hours … rejected these. The Government's big idea, its answer, was to propose, as we know, an average increase of 15% in public transport fares. For those who may say we only give out here on the Opposition benches, let me be clear. My colleagues have been clear. Time

will give the Deputy a few examples of the reduction in the new fares for children. In regional cities like Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford, the new reduced fare is 33% of the equivalent fare. In town services like those in Athlone, Balbriggan, Clonmel, Drogheda, Dundalk and Kilkenny … child fares are cut to 50 cent. These are facts. What I said about fares being 8% lower than what they were eight years ago is also a fact. The Deputy asked about improving services. This year, we have spent €941 million in delivering PSO services

volume of users now and the demands. The Minister of State talked about 38% of the costs of the PSO being covered by fares but public transport pays for itself in other ways through reduced congestion, safer roads and lower carbon emissions. The idea that fares need … Ireland being relatively lower or higher compared to elsewhere does not really butter any parsnips for people who are impacted by these fare increases. AMLÉ, the association of student unions in Ireland, has come out in recent days looking for free fares for everyone under

train in either Balbriggan or Skerries were left out of the Dublin commuter zone, meaning they have already had a fare increase. I spoke to a woman the other day who told me that the fare increase for her is close to €1,000 every year. That … extra money for one person to have to pay to then be told by the Minister that she has not had a fare increase in eight years. She has, and she really could do without another one. In fact, the Minister should be reversing the decision because

recent decision to hike fares by 15% is baffling. For some of my constituents in Kildare those increases will be closer to 20%. This will mean a €290 annual increase for Newbridge commuters and a €545 annual increase for Athy commuters. These are huge increases at a time … students, older people and those attending hospital appointments or social events. Travelling by bus or train should not be a luxury but these fare increases are pricing people out of public transport. Customers of Irish Rail and Bus Éireann certainly do not feel like they are experiencing luxury

towards free public transport, or certainly free for certain demographics in society. They are certainly not making tone-deaf decisions, such as increasing fares. There is no justification for doing that, even if, as the Minister says, fares have not increased in eight years. That rhetoric is simply … public transport services is at an historical high. We are also living in the midst of a climate crisis. What message do the fare increases send to commuters and public transport users? If we, collectively in this House, want to move as many people as possible away from

Opposition are all of one mind on this. There is absolutely no way we would be proceeding with an increase in public transport fares at this time. I have read the Government's counter-motion and I read the Minister's comments earlier. By reading them, you might … week marks German Unity Day. We barely have a unified Luas system here. I am genuinely baffled by this decision. Keeping public transport fares low is good policy. That has been borne out by the fact that we have seen huge increases in the numbers on public transport

sheer audacity of the Government proposal to increase public transport fares is breathtaking. The Government wants to increase public transport fares while large parts of rural Ireland are still waiting for public transport that actually exists. In Offaly, people are not talking about buses being too cheap. They … available. It is not delayed because of planning or staffing but because the Government has simply not provided the money. The Minister says fares have to rise to support the system. People in rural Ireland have every right to ask what system exactly he is talking about

want to make a particular point about the impact of the proposed fare increases on people in my county. I recognise the significant investment the Government is making in public transport. In 2026, €940 million is being invested across the public transport network and that investment is badly … have a very real cost-of-living crisis. The national average increase is approximately 15%, but people in Kerry are concerned that some fares could increase by significantly more than that, in some cases by over 30%. That matters in a rural county like Kerry

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Transport the reason commuters using rail services in the Galway metropolitan area do not benefit from fare structures equivalent to those available through the Transport for Ireland integrated fare system in Dublin; and whether consideration is being given to extending integrated … metropolitan rail fares and fare caps to Galway. [68878/26

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the total passenger fare revenue received in 2024 and 2025, the projected passenger fare revenue for 2026 and the projected passenger fare revenue for 2027 following implementation of the NTA Fares Determination 2026, broken down by operator, in tabular form

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport further to the statutory requirement that a taximeter continue to calculate the metered fare even where a lower fare has been agreed, and that the driver print and offer the prescribed taximeter receipt showing the total fare payable together … designated space for tips, discounts and tolls, whether app-based dispatch operators are required to display to the driver the exact final fare charged to the passenger on each journey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63424/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 219 of 16 September 2026, the child fares that will be reduced as stated in the response; if he anticipates that the fare hikes on public transport will lead to a reduction … Oireachtas committee hearing on 16 September 2026; if he has considered reversing these proposed hikes; if there will be any other changes to fares as part of budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter [67278/26

Transport Authority carried out an assessment of the cumulative impact on passengers at Balbriggan and Skerries of the April 2025 Dublin Commuter Zone fare changes and the further fare increases due in 2027; and whether affordability and the scale of the cumulative increase were considered in determining … fares. [65118/26

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the estimated additional fare revenue to be generated in 2027 as a result of the NTA Fares Determination 2026, broken down by operator and service type and the assumptions underpinning these estimates, including projected passenger numbers and any anticipated impact … fare increases on passenger demand, in tabular form. [65108/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the additional fare revenue projected to be raised in a full year by the average 15% increase in Public Service Obligation fares taking effect in January 2027; the current annual Public Service Obligation subvention; the proportion of the operating … cost of PSO services currently met by fare revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64821/26

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the Government’s commitment to introduce contactless fare payments across public transport, including the use of ordinary debit and credit cards and mobile wallets on bus services; the bus services and operators that currently accept contactless bank … card payments; the progress made by the NTA on developing and implementing the new contactless fare-payment system; if the system will provide daily and weekly fare capping comparable with Leap card; and the target date for nationwide availability of contactless bank-card payments on bus services. [62322/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport in the case of an app-based fixed price fare (details supplied) where the passenger is charged the lower of the fixed price or the metered fare, the way in which a driver is expected to accurately calculate … record the discount on the statutory taximeter receipt in circumstances where the driver is not shown the final fare charged to the passenger; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63425/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport his views on the proposed increase in public transport fares; if this will be reconsidered in the budget; and when the fares will come into effect. [67321/26

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport if he will take steps to reverse the recently announced bus and rail fare increases; the engagement he had with the National Transport Authority before the announcement of the bus and rail fare increases. [64394/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport to estimate the cost of eliminating public transport fares for student Leap Card holders and for under-25 Leap Card holders; and the cost of eliminating fares for both together. [64963/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Transport to provide detailed reasoning for the announced increase to public transport fares from January 2027; if any engagement has taken place between the NTA and his Department regarding how increased fares could be avoided; and if the increase will

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if alternatives to the January 2027 fare increase were considered, including the estimated cost to the Exchequer of maintaining Public Service Obligation fares at 2026 levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64823/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport which document is to be treated as the authoritative fare and expense record where the amount shown on an app transaction differs from the amount shown on the statutory taximeter receipt, and whether the transparency and reconciliation … controlled fares against the statutory taximeter receipt will be expressly addressed in the current review of dispatch operator regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63428/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport in respect of a discounted app fare product (details supplied) reported to be part-funded by the driver and part-funded by the dispatch operator, the amount a driver is required to enter in the discount field … statutory taximeter receipt, whether the driver-funded element or the total passenger discount; the amount that is to be recorded as the total fare paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63427/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Transport if he will engage with the National Transport Authority to review the proposed public transport fare increases due to take effect from 2027, particularly in light of concerns regarding affordability, the impact on rural commuters in County Kerry

asked the Minister for Transport the amount the National Transport Authority has estimated would be required in 2027 to maintain public service obligation fares at 2026 levels; whether the Department has sought that amount in the Budget 2027 Estimates process; and if the Minister will make a statement

Transport if he will provide the €70 million in funding that the NTA says is required to avoid the increase in public transport fares; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68009/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport whether he has conducted any affordability tests on fare increases in Cork. [66855/26

Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Transport for an update as of September 2026 on the proposed increased fares on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67661/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport If he is considering intervening to halt proposed increases in public transport fares. [67405/26

Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Transport if he will intervene to reverse planned fare hikes to public transport in the new year, that will have a negative impact on commuters. [66894/26

launched Ennis town public bus service; the hours of operation; the extent of bus stops; the range of vehicles; the expected price fares for all ticket and concessionary passengers; if there are plans to provide further public bus routes across County Clare, including the potential to provide more

Minister for Transport to outline the analysis undertaken by his Department regarding the impact of the recent NTA announcement on public transport fare changes and the effect of this on rural commuters; and the steps being taken to ensure public transport is affordable and accessible for rural commuters