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private operators? Surely we understand the failure that has happened in the UK with the privatisation of public services. We should have fares as low as possible. People have spoken about places like Luxembourg where free public transport has worked. We need to be reducing fares rather than

able to sustain indefinitely. We have climate, cost-of-living and energy crises, yet the Government is slapping 15% onto public transport fares because the capital plan for transport is not worth the paper it is written on. That is a fact. It is a complete fiction … about public transport, then it would fund it properly. We are spending €100 million per month at the moment and cutting public transport fares, or at the very least sustaining the reduction, is a cost-of-living support that puts money back in the pockets of ordinary workers

Government must reverse the 15% average increase in fares for public transport announced by the National Transport Authority for 1 January. This increase worsens the cost-of-living crisis and undermines climate policy. Switching from private cars to a comprehensive system of public transport, not just in cities … Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to reverse these increases and build a nationwide system of free, reliable and accessible public transport. This fare increase is moving in the wrong direction and is out of step with many of our European neighbours, where public transport is very low cost

depend on public transport are already struggling with ever-increasing household costs. The Government has proposed that from January 2027, adult public transport fares are set to increase by an average of 15%. In Dublin, the 90-minute Leap card fare will rise from €2 to €2.30. There

Government claims it wants more people to use public transport, but its actions tell a different story - they tell the truth. Increasing fares while asking people to leave their cars at home makes no sense. Ghost buses that put people's jobs at risk are unacceptable … these ghost buses. Those on the Government benches love to waffle about the Opposition having no solutions. Well, here they are: stop the fare hikes, introduce free travel for under-18s, improve the failing services, end the scandal of ghost buses and deliver decent services for people

direct peak-time services to and from the city centre are envisaged. These changes will also be supported by the 90-minute Leap fare, ensuring that passengers making multi-modal journeys do not incur any additional costs. Furthermore, the planned development of the Blanchardstown to city centre core … introduction of significantly better all-day frequency, not just during peak commuting hours, and better network connectivity options within the 90-minute Leap fare. I will speak with the Deputy and bring her information from the survey back

will repeat what I have said about the changes that happened in July 2026 in Cork. They make the fares cheaper and make it easier for people to use multimodal transport. If there are issues with buses not coming on time we have discussed that earlier … result of the introduction of the standard discount for young adult and students at 50% and children at 33% of equivalent adult fares. These can offer very good value for some frequent users. It is important to say this Government has invested €941 million in the PSO levy

were told in Cork the fair increases were to pay for the 90-minute fares that were to come in. This is nonsense. It was done when the schools and the colleges were on holidays. It was snuck in over the summer with the thought that people would … because they spotted it and could feel the difference. We are now being told more hardware will be needed for contactless payments. Will fares go up again when that comes in? People are struggling. There is a cost-of-living crisis. The cost for adults is an extra

Authority, NTA, in the expansion of the network and ultimately in its passengers. We now know this is only the start of the fare increases. The Government intends to raise them again and again. While Government backbenchers love the photo-op of opening a new bus stop, what … people who stand at those bus stops need the Government to do right now is to demand that these fare increases are reversed and that they do not happen. The Government is making this decision during a climate emergency, when we should be doing everything in our power

prices are rising and Government is silent. Electricity prices are rising and Government is silent but Government is not silent on public transport fares. In fact, instead of being silent on it, it has decided to increase them. Instead of assisting struggling households it has decided to make … clear message that I want to give to the Minister for Transport who has disappointingly just left the Chamber. Public transport fare price increases have already had a devastating impact on Galway families. A number of individuals in Galway have contacted me to say that they are unable

increase from €658 million in 2025. This funding will go towards funding and subsidising existing public transport services while maintaining targeted fares including initiatives such as the free travel for all children up to the age of nine and the young adult card for those aged … part of the NTA's national fares strategy. The Department continues to engage with the NTA to ensure existing levels of service, resilience and driver shortages are considered to ensure that planning and strategic decisions are informed by operational and resource considerations. Some €31 million of this funding

increase from €650 million in 2025. This will go towards funding and subsidising existing public transport services across Ireland by maintaining targeted fares, including initiatives such as the recently introduced free travel for all children up to the age of nine and the young adult card for those … aged from 19 to 25 as part of the NTA’s national fares strategy. The Department continues to engage with the NTA to ensure existing levels of service, resilience and driver shortages are considered, and to ensure that planning and strategic decisions are informed by both operational

Deputy has raised this matter before. The important point I would make is that we are committed as a Government to maintaining a fare strategy that is fair and equitable. We are committed to helping to ensure that the pricing structure supports social inclusion and the modal shift … Deputy makes back to the Department. We are committed to improving the offerings for people. We have a very good model of fare strategy, and if there are improvements to be made, let us make those happen

Clonsilla to Connolly Station in Dublin, a journey of approximately 28 minutes, can travel for roughly €2.60 each way under the Dublin commuter fare structure and the Leap card system. This is wholly inequitable. It is not fair on the people of Galway and it is not fair … there any consideration that the Government can give to allowing people in Galway to use the Leap card structure and avail of lower fares? This situation is not fair

terms of the student experience. People pick up linguistic skills and become more rounded students. It is proven academically that students who engage fare better in terms of their academic life and their job prospects afterwards. There is no denying how important the scheme is. I believe … fight for every penny he can to increase that budget because there are concerns that proportionately, students in the scheme will not fare as well. I ask the Minister to emphasise that in his negotiations

nine getting free travel, the senior free travel and the companion pass, which is being rolled out. We keep the fare structure and the fares under constant monitoring. We review it on a regular basis

more people using public transport than ever. There were 365 million public transport journeys last year. That is a 6% increase. Our fare structure is affordable. We have many free fares across the system, which we will continue to maintain. On the other issue in relation

compared to 1,713 in 2014. Complaints related to the condition of the vehicle, driver behaviour, hiring matters, as the Deputy articulated, and fare matters. The majority of complaints, 976, were fare matters, while driver behaviour accounted for 368 and 396 were hiring matters. I will come back

each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss improvement and refurbishment works for older school buildings across County Kerry. Deputy Grace Boland - The national fare structure for train fares and its impact on passengers travelling from Balbriggan and Skerries. Deputy Shane Moynihan - Plé a dhéanamh ar stádas DEIS

shortage of mainstream school places in Dunshaughlin, County Meath for the 2026-27 school year. Deputy Grace Boland - To discuss the national fare structure for train fares announced by the National Transport Authority in 2025. Deputy Paula Butterly - To discuss the operation of the double payment rule

budget 2026, a significant 43% uplift in the allocation from budget 2025. This allocation will allow for the continued delivery of targeted fare initiatives, including the recently introduced free travel for all children up to the age of nine, and the young adult card for those aged … part of the NTA’s national fares strategy. It also prioritises the advancement of ongoing programmes and commitments in line with operational readiness and resource availability. These measures allow for the continued growth in PSO journeys. The number of journeys has continued to grow steadily and demonstrates

record. The Minister wrote to the National Transport Authority, NTA, to request clarification on the regulatory position on the Uber fixed-price fare for the information of taxi operators and public reps alike. In the response to his letter, the Minister was advised by the NTA that … charging of a fixed-price fare was in accordance with the applicable regulations. He was also advised that the NTA continued to keep the regulatory model under review. The Minister instructed his senior departmental officials to meet the NTA to discuss the response. Following the meeting, which took

basis. Individual commercial operators chose to participate, and the NTA then compensated them for the agreed discount and the fare that was forgone, effectively. This was done to ensure that young people benefited from the reduced fares across both subsidised and participating commercial services. Perhaps there is some

Transport issued a letter to the NTA on 19 November last asking it to clarify the regulatory position on the Uber fixed price fare for the information of taxi operators and public representatives alike. We await that clarification because the taxi drivers who have been in touch with … guesstimate, that is what the customer will pay, even if the journey is delayed or diverted, resulting in an increase in the fare. In other words, the taxi driver cannot claim that but the answer the Minister of State has given seems to suggest the opposite. However

month in which the child turns nine, after which they transition to a child Leap card offering a 67% discount on adult fares. These measures, along with the NTA's recent fare zone adjustments, aim to make public transport more equitable, inclusive and affordable for young people

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport to provide detailed reasoning behind the fare increase on buses in Cork City that will be introduced shortly; to detail the conversations that have taken place between his Department and the National Transport Authority in relation to this issue

that is being applied to the Department of Transport; whether his Department has committed to protecting the funding of public transport services and fare initiatives from this levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56564/26

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Transport if there are plans to review the fare zones currently in operation across the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58941/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the estimated overall cost of introducing the 90 minute fare in Cork. [54096/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Transport to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); to detail to reasoning behind the fare differences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53600/26

asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to concerns that blind and visually impaired taxi users may incur higher fares where drivers rely solely on satellite navigation rather than following directions provided by the passenger, resulting in unnecessarily longer journeys; whether guidance, safeguards

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost to eliminate all fares across all PSO service for under 18s, broken down by service type, in tabular form. [51114/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Transport the estimated full-year cost of abolishing fares on all public transportation services and publicly contracted commercial services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51341/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the cost of maintaining the 20% fare reduction on public transport. [50698/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the cost of increasing the fare reduction on public transport to 30%. [50699/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the estimated cost to extend the 20% fare reduction to all commercial operators. [50745/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if he will rule out fare increases in budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45499/26

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Transport if consideration is being given to introducing discounted journey bundles or capped weekly fare products through the Leap Card system for non-daily commuters, in line with flexible ticketing models operating in other European countries; and if he will make

Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Transport if he will rule out public transport fare increases in the forthcoming Budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45808/26

part-week commuter product, such as a block of ten or twenty single journeys at a meaningful discount to the standard adult fare, or a monthly product calibrated to two- or three-day commuting patterns. [44161/26

Minister for Transport the total number and proportion of public transport trips taken in Dublin which are subject to the 90-minute flat fare. [40405/26

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Transport to consider the inclusion of Portlaoise Train Station in the Dublin commuter fare zone structure, either by extending Zone 4 or by creating a new Zone 5 for Portlaoise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40050/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to provide a breakdown of the average fare per trip in each of the red zones, Dublin commuter zones, short hop zone, Cork green zone and Intercity, in tabular form. [40119/26

Cork in the past ten years from 2016 to 2026, including each stop along the route and including student, child and adult fares, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31812/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport if Leap card fares will increase as part of Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32418/26

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he will abolish fares for public transport as is being done in other countries in response to the fuel crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31434/26

Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Transport if he plans to extend or make permanent reduced public transport fares; and the assessment that has been made of their impact on passenger numbers and cost-of-living. [31115/26

additional costs arising from increased global fuel prices that will be funded whether through additional Exchequer allocation, reallocation within the existing transport budget, fare adjustments, or other measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23628/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Transport if there will be an increase in Leap card fares; if so, the amount of the increase; when this will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25653/26

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Transport the amount the NTA derived in excess fares paid by Dublin passengers in 2024 and 2025; what has happened to this money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25906/26