James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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7. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to expand free public transport access for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22821/25]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline for the introduction of free public transport for children under the age of nine that was announced in budget 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22834/25]

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I have already wished the Ministers of State, Deputies Canney and Buttimer, well in their roles but this is the first time I have been here when the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been in the Chamber and I want to wish him well. I found him very approachable as a Minister when I was a councillor and I am looking forward to the continuity of service as a TD. What are the Minister for Transport's plans to expand free public transport access for children and will he make a statement on the matter?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The National Transport Authority has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation, PSO, contracts. Obviously this statutory responsibility supports the implementation of agreed Government priorities.

I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to delivering an accessible, reliable and affordable public transport system for all our citizens, including children. Under the programme for Government, our commitments include the roll-out of contactless payments, keeping fares affordable and examining the further expansion of free public transport for children.

Specifically, budget 2025 included a measure to extend free child fares on PSO services to children aged five to eight years old. The NTA is working to develop and implement this change, with the new scheme expected to launch in quarter 3 of this year. This targeted initiative is designed to help with the cost of living for families and to encourage children to start using public transport from an early age.

The Government is also continuing funding supports to allow for the continuation of other fare initiatives, such as the 90-minute fare, the young adult and student Leap card, and 20% discounted fares on PSO services, all of which help make public transport more affordable.

Furthermore, the NTA recently introduced a new distance-based zonal fare structure for the greater Dublin area. This move aims to makes fares equitable, more consistent and easier to understand, with significant reductions for many commuting from outer areas, aligning prices more closely with distance travelled. Obviously, I acknowledge that while the new structure is fairer for all, it does mean that some people are now paying a little bit more. I assure the Deputies that I am committed to making public transport as accessible and affordable as possible, while also ensuring that our system remains financially sustainable in the long term.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is good that we have contained in the programme for Government a commitment to expand free public transport for children. It is very welcome that the measure announced in the budget to extend the age from five to eight years and then to nine years of age, will be introduced in quarter 3. There is a certain practicality to all of this. I regularly use the S4 bus route with my seven-year-old and five-year-old. To be fair, the service relies on the honesty of the passenger getting on the bus to identify whether their kid is six, seven, eight or nine years of age. No bus driver looks for ID from nine-year-olds or eight-year-olds. We should face up to the policy, which is that it is a good thing we are giving children of primary school age access to public transport and that it does not cost the State that much. The measure itself in the previous budget cost approximately €8 million. It is very worthwhile. We know it is a measure that will work well and I look forward to its continued expansion.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As we have discussed, in budget 2025 which was announced last October my colleague the then Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, secured funding to roll out free public transport across our public transport network for children aged under nine. This initiative had a number of purposes. It was aimed at reducing congestion by providing commuters with a cheaper alternative. It was also built around creating the habit of using public transport among young children. Very importantly, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis it was designed to save commuters money. It builds on the other public transport initiatives the Green Party introduced, which the Minister of State referenced. In 2023 there was a 20% cut to all public transport fares. These were the first cuts since the 1940s. There was also the introduction of the young adult travel card. Will the Minister of State give us a bit more detail on when in quarter 3 he expects to see this new initiative rolled out?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I thank both Deputies. I, too, acknowledge the work done by the former Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, in developing and bringing forward more public transport initiatives and services and making them more affordable. I want to acknowledge this in the House. Coming back to the question on quarter 3, I do not have the exact date but I will meet officials and I will come back to Deputy O'Gorman with a date when we have it. It is important to say that universal free transport for all, and not only for those under 18, would require an additional €786 million in Exchequer funding annually, before considering increased demand. A large amount of money would be required to provide free transport for everybody.

The Government is expanding the child fares, and maintaining new adult fares and the student Leap card 50% off. It is important for students and for young people, as the Deputy said, to get a good experience in terms of reliability, safety and punctuality and to have it at a reasonable price. If we can continue to give that experience to young people, they will continue to use public transport for the rest of their lives. The aim of all these policies is to encourage people to use public transport, take cars off the roads and avoid the congestion. We will have a better society and a better life as well. This comes at a cost and we cannot do it all at once. We have to bring in measures which will be effective, which we can afford and which will be rolled out.

With public transport, we have seen a huge increase in numbers right across the different services. It is good news. It is a good story but we need to continue that to incentivise people. My two colleagues and I will continue to push the policies to make sure we see the results on the ground.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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One of the issues specific to Dublin when it comes to children taking public transport is, of course, the Luas. The Luas is a very busy tram, particularly at peak times. As we have seen, when we expand and invest in the Luas, we grow the passenger numbers. In that context, I would ask the Minister of State to support inquiring into getting the Luas extension from the Point to Poolbeg into the national development plan review. Obviously, the Finglas Luas application has already got planning permission. It is important we demonstrate that there is a continued flow of work that will be made available to the contractors who will ultimately build that extension. It would be excellent for Dublin if, in the context of the national development plan review, we got that Luas extension to Poolbeg included in that as well.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister of State for his commitment to come back with a more specific date. Now that we are in May, we should be giving commuters specifics in terms of when this funding that has been put aside will be used and when they will get the benefit.

One issue the Dublin Commuter Coalition has raised is whether there be a requirement for identity cards. Generally, identity cards are not used, but if some bus driver or operator decided to insist on them, will children under nine years of age need an identity card to prove their age? The Minister of State might clarify that.

On the wider issue, all Departments are starting to collate their budgets. Is reducing public transport fares a priority for the Minister of State and the Department in this budget? The Minister of State set out the cost for free public transport for everybody. No one is expecting miracles from the Minister of State in this budget, but is he looking to reduce some of the public transport fares in budget 2026?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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Again, I thank the Deputies. I would say, first of all, when we talk about the national development plan, there will be huge competing asks within that plan. Of course, the three Ministers here will be putting forward our best foot in terms of projects within transport, be it roads, public transport or whatever. It is important the Deputies understand that we will be putting in plenty of projects that need to be done which the Department and the officials have been working on.

There is a huge ask within the Department of Transport for funding for capital projects but the capital projects are to enhance our services. If you take Ceannt station in Galway, what is happening in Kent station in Cork and the fact that we are now looking at putting in the passing loop in Oranmore to create additional frequency into Galway city where we have huge problems with traffic congestion, we are doing these works. There is a pipeline of works to be done. The all-island rail review, which was commissioned by the previous Minister, Eamon Ryan, is now the basis for investment in rail across the country.

On Deputy O'Gorman's question about identity cards, I am not so sure we need to be using identity cards. Discretion is there to be used. Nobody should be not allowed onto public transport but, of course, there has to be a limit. Fair play by consumers in the use of the system will keep it viable.

At the end of the day, what we need to do is to take more cars off the road. We need to make sure the public transport is there. The other issue in relation to all of this is that we have residential settlements close to train stations so that you can walk to the train station. If you look at what is happening in Ceannt station in Galway, it is linking the development to the pedestrian accesses around the city which is putting it all together. There is a lot of forward planning going on.