Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

At a time when we see huge increases in passenger numbers on Dublin Bus and other services, it seems hard to understand how we could be looking for price increases. I believe it is counterproductive and I do not understand the logic for it. Dublin Bus had a surplus of €3 million and the subvention has been cut substantially, even though the Minister said he would try to maintain it in the coming years at the current level.

We cannot afford increases like this when people are struggling. The people who are most affected are the least well-off, because they pay cash when they get on the bus with a buggy or a child, although they might only be going a number of stops. It is the least well-off in society who are getting hurt the most, which seems to happen every time we have an increase.

I acknowledge that the Leap card has been a huge success and that it provides much better value for money. However, most of the people I meet in the suburbs, whether it is in Ballymun, Santry, Whitehall or Finglas, do not have a lump sum to hand out for a Leap card, as they only have the bare minimum left at the end of the week. None the less, these are the people who will be affected.

The Minister said the NTA and the RPA had been given the legislative role of dealing with this, but there must be some input from the Minister. He must be warned in advance that this is going to happen and he must have some input in telling them this is unacceptable in these times of austerity.

See this speech in context