Public Transport and Fare Increases: Motion [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-29
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Louis O'Hara (SF), Galway East

The 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 or to go about their daily lives. Public transport is an essential public service, not a luxury, and in the midst of a 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 when the Minister claims to be encouraging more people to use public transport, he has decided to increase the costs of services. Even the NTA has said passenger numbers will fall as a result.
This fare hike is totally within the Minister's control. He could have decided to properly fund our public transport system but instead he has decided to lob yet another price increase on households. This is clearly the wrong move and he knows it. This motion is an opportunity for him to acknowledge that the proposed fare hikes are a mistake and that they will reduce passenger numbers. The Minister must act to stop these fare hikes. He must ensure the State's public transport system is properly funded in order for it to be affordable, reliable and sustainable.
The Government is also failing when it comes to investment in rural transport. I raise with the Minister once again the long-promised Athenry to Galway bus service. When I raised this with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, last week he spoke of the need of "not just doing things for the sake of doing them." That was an outrageous statement to make when the Minister knows there is clear demand for a bus service in Athenry. I have repeatedly raised the case of commuters in Athenry being squished on to morning train services, with nothing to even hold on to, and passengers fainting because of the cramped conditions. We were promised this service two years ago and all we have got is dismissive comments. The people of Athenry and other rural towns deserve better. They deserve effective public transport links, not an attitude that tells commuters to put up and shut up. Once again, I urge the Minister to provide the necessary funding to get the Athenry bus service up and running. It is badly needed and we have been left waiting for too long.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-29