Greens reject proposed public transport fare increases

Over the weekend, the Government was briefing about a €250m “funding gap” in the Department of Transport and presenting  the public with three choices: increasing public transport fares, cutting public transport services or taking €250m a year away from National Development Plan infrastructure projects.

Green Party Spokesperson for Transport, Cllr Feljin Jose, said:

“These are three false choices. Hiking fares, cutting services or raiding the budget for projects like DART+, Cork Commuter Rail and BusConnects would all be disastrous. There is a fourth choice to simply continue to prioritise and fund public transport. The €250 million “funding gap” is just the gap in ambition between this government and the last. We know that public transport investment has an enormous positive impact on our economy, on emissions reduction and on everybody's quality of life. The Greens prioritised that investment and we saw the results - new routes in our cities, towns and villages; fares going down, passenger numbers up. This is a test of priorities, and the Government is failing."

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman TD said: 

“The increased funding for public transport under the Greens is what resulted in an additional 49 million journeys on public transport last year compared to 2019 while other European countries are still recovering from the effects of COVID-19. In the midst of an ongoing cost of living crisis, our people cannot afford fare increases, and our environment cannot afford measures that will make public transport less attractive. So, in Budget 2026, rather than cutting services, we’re calling on the Government to keep fares low and invest more in public transport infrastructure.”

The €250m “funding gap” for public service obligation bus and rail services is the cost of these measures introduced by the Green Party in the last Government:

• New and expanded Local Link services

• New town buses

• New 24hr bus routes 

• Increased frequencies and more services across the bus and rail network

• 20% lower fares for everyone

• Half price fares for young adults under 26 and all students

• Free public transport for U9s

• Free transport for companions with over 70s

• 90 minute fare