Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will announce that on budget day, but I will be very much arguing for it because it is a very direct way of addressing the cost of living, especially for many students and younger people who face very high rents and difficulties in that sort of area. It is important we give them options around public transport. As I said, this measure can and will be introduced quickly. I am very glad it will assist the Students' Union in UCD, with which I am very familiar, in addition to other colleges throughout the country.

To answer Deputy Ó Murchú's question, I expect the involvement of commercial bus operators to be very significant. Looking at the budget implications, it is a very significant funding commitment. It is not cheap but it is appropriate and right for us to extend the scheme to them. That has been a very positive development.

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