Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)

According to reports, the Government is set to hike public transport fees in this year's budget. We have heard that there is a €250 million funding gap and, as a result, commuters who are already crippled by rising rents and the cost of living are going to face fare hikes. I want the Minister to commit to retaining the reductions in public transport fares as part of this year's budget.

Earlier this year we were warned by officials in the Department of public expenditure that key infrastructure projects would not be delivered without increasing fares, but now we hear that services will be cut also. If the Government is trying to reduce carbon emissions and get people onto public transport, it cannot hike up the fares in this year's budget. We need an affordable, sustainable and reliable public transport system across every village, town and city on the island if we are serious about a modal shift and reducing our transport emissions.

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