I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding public transport and fare increases. On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.
Public Transport and Fare Increases: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]
The following motion was moved by Deputy Pa Daly on Tuesday, 29 September 2026:
That Dáil Éireann:
recognises that:
— public transport is an essential public service and should be affordable and accessible to all;
— investment in public transport is critical to fairness, social inclusion, balanced regional development and reducing emissions; and
— the best way to increase public transport use is to make services more affordable, reliable, accessible and more widely available;
notes that:
— households, workers, students, pensioners and families continue to face significant cost of living pressures, with rising costs across housing, energy, childcare and everyday essentials;
— the Government has chosen to increase the cost of public transport for those who rely on it, and at a time when fuel costs are spiralling out of control;
— the National Transport Authority (NTA) has acknowledged that increasing fares will result in fewer people using public transport;
— affordable public transport helps to reduce household costs, tackle transport poverty and help workers and families cope with the rising cost of living; and
— commuters are being asked to pay higher fares while continuing to endure unreliable and overcrowded services, including so-called "ghost buses" that simply fail to turn up, leaving workers, students and families stranded and out of pocket;
further notes that:
— the Government has prioritised pay rises for public transport chief executive officers in conjunction with fare increases for commuters;
— this Government have failed to provide adequate funding to the NTA to both expand services, and maintain affordable fares;
— despite repeated promises, the rollout of improved public transport services has slowed significantly, with concerns raised regarding delays to the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan and promised rural transport improvements;
— communities across rural Ireland continue to experience poor connectivity, inadequate services and a lack of viable alternatives to private car ownership;
— this failure comes amidst repeated examples of waste, mismanagement and spiralling costs within the transport system, including the write-off of approximately €50 million arising from a failed public transport Information Technology project;
— affordable, reliable and accessible public transport delivers significant social, economic and environmental benefits by reducing congestion, lowering emissions, supporting regional development and connecting people with employment, education, healthcare and social opportunities; and
— free public transport for children and young people would ease financial pressures on families, increase mobility, improve access to opportunities and encourage lifelong use of public transport; and
calls on the Government to:
— immediately cancel all planned public transport fare increases;
— introduce free public transport for all children and young people under 18 years of age;
— provide adequate funding to the NTA to ensure affordable fares and expanded services are delivered together;
— deliver better, more reliable and more frequent bus and rail services;
— accelerate investment in rural public transport and fast-track the expansion of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan; and
— improve accessibility across the public transport network so that it works for disabled passengers, older people, families, rural communities and all users.
Debate resumed on amendment No. 2:
To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:
"affirms Government's efforts to:
— deliver a more frequent, reliable, accessible and sustainable public transport network;
— rollout contactless fare payments on all public transport, and keep fares low and affordable;
— place the Public Service Obligation (PSO) programme on a more sustainable footing;
— support households and businesses through addressing congestion; and
— work to address Ireland's climate targets;
notes that:
— the Government is committed to the delivery of major public transport projects, as evidence by last year's review of the National Development Plan (NDP) allocation of €24.3 billion to transport projects from 2026 to 2030;
— while the Government has allocated an unprecedented level of investment in transport, representing an almost 87 per cent increase as compared to the previous five-year period, investment decisions will always require a degree of sequencing and prioritisation of individual projects;
— for public transport infrastructure, there is over €12 billion in funding in the NDP from 2026 to 2030, this represents more than double the amount provided in the previous five years;
— the funding in the NDP will provide for the progression of a number of major public transport projects over this period, including the commencement of construction of MetroLink, Luas Finglas, the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART)+ Programme and the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris, as well as the continued implementation of the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme and the BusConnects programmes across Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities;
— this funding will see the new DART+ Fleet rollout next year, as well as enabling early construction work to commence on DART+ West next year;
— on public transport services, PSO journeys have continued to grow steadily, reaching a record 363.5 million passenger journeys by the end of 2025, this represents an increase of 6 per cent or almost 20 million journeys over the 2024 total of 343.6 million, this sustained and significant growth in passenger numbers underlines the extent to which people are increasingly relying on public transport and demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining and investing in the network to meet this demand;
— Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan is another strong example of progress, delivering exponential growth in rural transport since its launch in 2022, 185 new and enhanced services have been introduced, resulting in almost 8 million passenger journeys in 2024, where Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan services have been implemented, patronage rose by 38 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and is up by 165 per cent compared to early 2019;
— passenger fare revenue is a critical component of the funding base, and is essential to maintaining the financial sustainability of the network into the future;
— since 2022, passengers have benefited from a 20 per cent cost of living fare reduction, extension of the 90-minute fare, a 50 per cent discount for Young Adults and Students, free travel for children under nine years of age, and extensions to the eligibility of the Free Travel Scheme, which is run separately by the Department for Social Protection;
— even following the 2026 adjustment, fares remain approximately 8 per cent lower in real terms than they were eight years ago, and the additional revenue generated through this determination together with continued Exchequer investment, will help the National Transport Authority (NTA) manage rising operating costs, improve capacity and reliability on existing services, and continue the rollout of new services;
— in 2025 alone, 363.5 million passenger journeys were made on the Transport For Ireland network – this level of demand places significant pressure on the funding required to sustain and expand services, and underlines why fare revenue is an essential component of the overall funding model;
— public transport remains highly competitive and affordable, the fare changes support continued network expansion and climate objectives by funding future improvements;
— the Government recognises that an equitable and reliable public transport network plays a vital role in encouraging a shift away from private car use, it is essential that the public transport system remains well funded and responsive to passenger needs and adequate fare revenue is essential to support this; and
— the NTA continually works with operators to improve efficiency and maximise value for money from both fare revenue and public investment, however, public transport services have expanded significantly in recent years, and operating costs have increased substantially, a sustainable public transport network requires an appropriate balance between fare revenue and Government funding to support continued growth and investment.".
- (Minister for Transport)
Amendment put:
The Dáil divided: Tá, 77; Níl, 65; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Aird, William.
- Ardagh, Catherine.
- Boland, Grace.
- Brabazon, Tom.
- Brennan, Brian.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Butterly, Paula.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Malcolm.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Michael.
- Callaghan, Catherine.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Canney, Seán.
- Carrigy, Micheál.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
- Clendennen, John.
- Connolly, John.
- Cooney, Joe.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Currie, Emer.
- Daly, Martin.
- Dempsey, Aisling.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Dolan, Albert.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
- Geoghegan, James.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Heneghan, Barry.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Keogh, Keira.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McCarthy, Noel.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McCormack, Tony.
- McEntee, Helen.
- McGrath, Séamus.
- Moran, Kevin Boxer.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Moynihan, Shane.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Michael.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Joe.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Connell, Maeve.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Meara, Ryan.
- O'Shea, John Paul.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Muirí, Naoise.
- Roche, Peter.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Timmins, Edward.
- Toole, Gillian.
- Troy, Robert.
- Ward, Barry.
Níl
- Ahern, Ciarán.
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bennett, Cathy.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Collins, Michael.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Cummins, Jen.
- Daly, Pa.
- Devine, Máire.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ennis, Daniel.
- Farrelly, Aidan.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Gibney, Sinéad.
- Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Graves, Ann.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Hayes, Eoin.
- Healy-Rae, Danny.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Hearne, Rory.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Eoghan.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Lawless, Paul.
- Lawlor, George.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McGuinness, Conor D.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
- Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donoghue, Robert.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Hara, Louis.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
- Quaide, Liam.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Rice, Pádraig.
- Sherlock, Marie.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Wall, Mark.
- Ward, Charles.
- Ward, Mark.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Denise Mitchell.
Amendment declared carried.
Question put: : "That the motion, as amended, be agreed to"
The Dáil divided: Tá, 76; Níl, 66; Staon, 0.
Tá
- Aird, William.
- Ardagh, Catherine.
- Boland, Grace.
- Brabazon, Tom.
- Brennan, Brian.
- Brophy, Colm.
- Browne, James.
- Burke, Colm.
- Burke, Peter.
- Butler, Mary.
- Butterly, Paula.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Malcolm.
- Byrne, Thomas.
- Cahill, Michael.
- Callaghan, Catherine.
- Calleary, Dara.
- Carrigy, Micheál.
- Chambers, Jack.
- Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
- Clendennen, John.
- Connolly, John.
- Cooney, Joe.
- Crowe, Cathal.
- Currie, Emer.
- Daly, Martin.
- Dempsey, Aisling.
- Devlin, Cormac.
- Dillon, Alan.
- Dolan, Albert.
- Feighan, Frankie.
- Fleming, Sean.
- Foley, Norma.
- Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
- Geoghegan, James.
- Grealish, Noel.
- Heneghan, Barry.
- Heydon, Martin.
- Keogh, Keira.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lahart, John.
- Lawless, James.
- Lowry, Michael.
- McAuliffe, Paul.
- McCarthy, Noel.
- McConalogue, Charlie.
- McCormack, Tony.
- McEntee, Helen.
- McGrath, Séamus.
- Moran, Kevin Boxer.
- Moynihan, Aindrias.
- Moynihan, Michael.
- Moynihan, Shane.
- Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
- Murphy, Michael.
- Naughton, Hildegarde.
- Neville, Joe.
- O'Brien, Darragh.
- O'Connell, Maeve.
- O'Connor, James.
- O'Donnell, Kieran.
- O'Meara, Ryan.
- O'Shea, John Paul.
- O'Sullivan, Christopher.
- O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
- Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
- Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
- Ó Muirí, Naoise.
- Roche, Peter.
- Scanlon, Eamon.
- Smith, Brendan.
- Smyth, Niamh.
- Timmins, Edward.
- Toole, Gillian.
- Troy, Robert.
- Ward, Barry.
Níl
- Ahern, Ciarán.
- Bacik, Ivana.
- Bennett, Cathy.
- Boyd Barrett, Richard.
- Brady, John.
- Buckley, Pat.
- Carthy, Matt.
- Clarke, Sorca.
- Collins, Michael.
- Conway-Walsh, Rose.
- Coppinger, Ruth.
- Cronin, Réada.
- Crowe, Seán.
- Cullinane, David.
- Cummins, Jen.
- Daly, Pa.
- Devine, Máire.
- Doherty, Pearse.
- Donnelly, Paul.
- Ellis, Dessie.
- Ennis, Daniel.
- Farrelly, Aidan.
- Farrell, Mairéad.
- Gibney, Sinéad.
- Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
- Gould, Thomas.
- Graves, Ann.
- Guirke, Johnny.
- Hayes, Eoin.
- Healy-Rae, Danny.
- Healy, Seamus.
- Hearne, Rory.
- Kelly, Alan.
- Kenny, Eoghan.
- Kerrane, Claire.
- Lawless, Paul.
- Lawlor, George.
- Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
- McGrath, Mattie.
- McGuinness, Conor D.
- Mitchell, Denise.
- Murphy, Paul.
- Mythen, Johnny.
- Nash, Ged.
- Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
- Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
- Nolan, Carol.
- O'Callaghan, Cian.
- O'Donoghue, Richard.
- O'Donoghue, Robert.
- O'Gorman, Roderic.
- O'Hara, Louis.
- O'Rourke, Darren.
- Ó Broin, Eoin.
- Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
- Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
- Quaide, Liam.
- Quinlivan, Maurice.
- Rice, Pádraig.
- Sherlock, Marie.
- Stanley, Brian.
- Tóibín, Peadar.
- Wall, Mark.
- Ward, Charles.
- Ward, Mark.
- Whitmore, Jennifer.
Staon
Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Denise Mitchell.
Question declared carried.