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transport where possible. That policy has been supported practically unanimously by the Oireachtas. To encourage people to switch to public transport there is a need for reasonably priced fares. The decision by the National Transport Authority in the case of the route I am discussing is not fair … area and in the city. People want to use public transport but they want to have it at a reasonable price. I sincerely request that the National Transport Authority be told to review this matter, reduce the fares and ensure that commuters from Cavan to Dublin and Dublin

Link services. That was an 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 … million of this funding has been secured for continued investment in our rural transport service provision in 2026, a 38% increase on last year's funding. This funding ensures continued delivery of vital transport services across rural Ireland, building on the significant increase in funding in recent years

success story and to keep it that way, there has to be an honest conversation around fare structures. To be fair, we must consider the volume of people using public transport. I know … that some Deputies will dismiss the €940 million but that is a significant investment by Government in public transport. I would make the point that we have maintained a fare freeze for eight years, along with targeted affordability measures of which we are all aware. Those measures compare

important step towards standardising fares nationwide in line with the national fares strategy published in 2023. The Government and the Department of Transport, in partnership with the NTA and operators, remain fully committed to delivering a public transport system that is reliable, accessible, affordable … capable of meeting the growing needs of communities across the country. It is, therefore, essential that the public transport system remains well funded and responsive to passenger needs and adequate fare revenue is critical to support this. Again, I thank the three Deputies for raising this matter

Vote 14 - State Laboratory. This led to a net deficit in the Vote, which the Comptroller and Auditor General referred to at the public accounts committee. At a committee meeting on 9 October 2025 the Comptroller and Auditor General referred the excess expenditure recorded for Vote … funding for the Department of Transport has enabled delivery on a number of key projects. There was a continuation of the fare initiatives, the 20% adult fare discount, the 50% discount and a 90-minute fare which reduce the cost of public transport and encourage modal shifts. Progress

broader point, which I have explained, is that about €1.6 billion is the operational cost of our public transport network across the board, most of that being PSO and fares. That is what it costs to run what we have, which is a greatly expanded public transport service

ourselves here. There have been improvements in recent years, like the 90-minute fare and the expansion of Local Link routes, but much more is needed to get us to a place where public transport is the preferred option for most people. I am not suggesting that every … buses that can be caught up in traffic. It is vitally important that people can rely on public transport, that buses are prioritised on our roads and that fares are kept

afraid to press the "on" button for the heating, immersion or cooker are not winners today. Nor are public transport users facing down €70 million worth of transport fare hikes. Who does win? For as long as the Government relies on the private market to meet the public

work and of transport generally, and we need to increase the number of people using public transport for climate reasons. The Government's response is to increase fares to make the cost-of-living situation worse for people and to reduce the number of people using public transport

main, they are and our public transport operators operate very well. We saw record passenger numbers on public transport last year. People are responding because fares are affordable but there are issues from time to time, particularly in relation to our bus fleet and buses not turning … assure the Deputy that is not just focused on Dublin. To be fair to my predecessor in the previous Government, the availability of public transport in rural areas has been transformed. We need to go further, unquestionably, but we see the success and expansion of, particularly, rural link

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 … These offer particularly good value for some frequent users and demonstrate both the NTA and Department are firmly committed to delivering a public transport system that is sustainable, dependable, accessible and affordable

that ensures there is continuous work. There is no doubt that if we provide the infrastructure for public transport, people will use it. The fares are reasonable. All the time we are trying to get young people to think "If I am going someplace, I will

positive steps that had been taken by the previous Government in the investment and roll-out of more public transport services in rural areas, the reduction in fares, etc. Transport remains the second highest emitting sector in our economy. Decarbonising it to the greatest extent possible would

cost of public transport, yet that is apparently what it is proposing. The Minister well knows that the people in my constituency who get the train in either Balbriggan or Skerries were left out of the Dublin commuter zone, meaning they have already had a fare increase … Minister knows, and the NTA has told him just in case he does not, that when fares are increased it decreases the number of people who use public transport. This is going to result in fewer people using public transport. As I said, will the Minister please make

Local Link services, an 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 … million has been secured for continued investment in our rural transport service in 2026, a 38% increase on last year’s funding. This funding ensures the continued delivery of vital transport services across rural Ireland, building on the significant increase in recent years. In County Cork in particular

Absolutely there can be no doubt that the economies of public transport have completely flipped the script over the last few years. We have seen fares come down and the cost of using a car has gone up. It makes more sense for people to use public transport

right: this is about choices and priorities. In the previous Government, the Green Party chose to reduce fares and deliver more services. The Government is choosing to hammer public transport users

which now stands at €940 million. It is a critical fund for us to be able to subsidise public transport across the country and to make sure our fares remain affordable and accessible for people. These services are not just about transport. They are about connectivity, inclusion

Department are involved in the day-to-day operation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector. The National Transport Authority, NTA, the independent transport regulator, has responsibility for setting taxi fares under the provisions of the consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. On 3 November … board to make a maximum fares order fixing the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024 and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every two years

Department are involved in the day-to-day operation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector. The National Transport Authority, NTA, the independent transport regulator, has responsibility for setting taxi fares under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I am informed that … board to make a maximum fares order, fixing the maximum fare that may be charged by the driver of a taxi for any one journey. The current maximum fares order took effect in December 2024, and a maximum fare review is carried out approximately every two years

thank the Minister of State. Often when I ask a question of the Minister for Transport, I am fobbed off to the NTA because I am asking about operational matters but this is a funding matter. It is a hugely disappointing decision from Government and a baffling decision … popular and I am baffled as to why the Government is doing this when we know that the low-fares policy is incentivising people to use our public transport. It is just so disappointing and hard to understand. We can support, rightfully, one cohort of transport users, namely

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 … 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. We are not talking about people who have multiple public transport options outside their front door. We are talking

said earlier, we have an effective eight-year fare freeze alongside targeted measures in terms of public transport. We have

leave their jobs to care for their child in the absence of crèche places. On the issue of public transport, I hear daily from constituents. The fair fares issue, which was brought up by my Kildare South colleague, Deputy Ní Raghallaigh, badly impacts Naas and Sallins as well

important to note that we have ensured the protection of about 1.5 million people who use public transport for free and are eligible for free or reduced fare travel. Between the significant additional funding received through both the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Department … need it most while continuing to invest heavily in infrastructure to ensure that our people have access to safe, affordable and frequent public transport. In conclusion, I welcome the €6 billion that has been allocated to MetroLink, which is a project that will be starting very shortly. That