Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)

I have two final questions. First, the last time we debated on Oral Questions I asked the Minister to explicitly rule out public transport fare increases. Has he come to a decision on that?

The second question has been rumbling on since Covid. It seems that in the transport plan there is a policy to have a food and drinks ban on train services to the west. For people travelling, students, old age pensioners, everyone - even five or six TDs get the train up from the west - they cannot get any food or drink on those trains. The Minister will say it is a matter for Iarnród Éireann but he is Minister for Transport. We have received assurances in recent years. That the tender would be awarded in early 2024 was mentioned. A response from Irish Rail said that though the tendering process was in its advanced stages, the NTA had yet to make a funding decision on it. People get up early in the morning and have to wait four hours without even a glass of water on the train. We received responses in February and May but the service is still not restored.

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