John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. The Leader and many other Members of this House will know that I am very committed to the concept of a flexi-ticket for commuters. It is something that I am very passionate about and have been talking about for a long time. I am very confident that it is something that in the next number of weeks or months will get across the line, based on what the National Transport Authority, NTA, is saying. One concern I have, and I spent two hours yesterday speaking to commuters from Drogheda and Dundalk who were going home on the Matthews bus, is the number of people who are having to pay for a monthly or annual ticket today. The cost to go back to Dundalk on the bus is €2,700 a year, to go back on the train it is €3,600 a year or €362 a month. These people are having to pay for these tickets now.

My fear is that the NTA will not have a seamless transition over to a flexi-ticket for someone who has to pay for a monthly or annual ticket today, when it is introduced in perhaps six to eight weeks’ time. It is fundamentally unfair that someone would have to fork out for a full monthly or full annual ticket today and then be left with that for the next 12 months. I am asking that we engage with the NTA in some shape or form to ensure that there is a procedure and practice set up for anyone who has to buy a full monthly or annual ticket in January and that they can make a seamless transition over to a flexi-ticket when it is introduced at the end of the first quarter or the start of the second quarter of 2022, as the NTA has advised us.