Public Transport
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-24
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

The Deputy and I speak the same language. It has been a 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 favourably internationally. I take the point that there are people who are unhappy and who are being affected. They have communicated with all of us and I have met them but it is important to make the point that we have implemented one of the most significant fare reforms in recent decades through the introduction of the 90-minute fare and substantial discounts for young people and students through the young adult card. Our commitment, as a Department and as Ministers, is to ensure that we have a reliable and accessible public transport system.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-24