Public Transport and Fare Increases: Motion [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-29
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Robert O'Donoghue (LAB), Dublin Fingal West

These fare hikes are outrageous. At a time when people are facing a severe cost-of-living crisis, what is the Government doing? It is making it more expensive for people to get to and from work. I received a message from a constituent last week saying that she had to borrow €3 from her boss to get home because she was not paid until the next day. That is the reality workers are facing in this country. How does the Government respond? It makes the daily commute even more expensive.
I get the train every day. We pack on. It is overcrowded and unsafe every day. My constituents are on about the 33A, the 33X, the 101 and the 101X, which are also overcrowded. Despite the pressure they are already under, they are being asked to pay more. What message are we sending to workers? Instead of making public transport more affordable and reliable, the Government is making it harder for people to use it.
Workers should not be punished for going to work. They should not have to borrow €3 to get home. This is another hit to working people who are already desperate and struggling to make a pay check last until the end of the month.

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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