Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to reassure Senator O'Loughlin that the Government is strongly committed to delivering a cost-efficient and sustainable public transport network and the review of existing fare structures has a key role to play in achieving those goals. The rationale for implementing the new national fares strategy is to remove the current inconsistencies in the existing fare structure which the Senator has highlighted. As we all know this can be frustrating for public transport users. She is correct when she says that when we engaged with many of her constituents and those involved in advocating for this change, it was clear the anomalies are not sustainable and do not promote the wider use of public transport for commuters. That is why in such places as Kildare and other commuter zones this will have to change, and why it is a priority for us in the programme for Government. The objective of the strategy is to ensure that the cost of travel does not vary unduly depending on the route taken or the location in the country. The Senator has set out an example of why the current approach has to change. The objective is to ensure that the cost per kilometre travelled does not vary unduly and is related to a straight-line distance between the origin and destination of the journey rather than the route taken, and that the fares are consistent whereby customers can understand the fare being charged and how it relates to the journey being taken. We welcome the publication of the national fares strategy, which is the first step in the process. The publication of the fares determination will be made in the coming weeks. That is the next step in the process to provide clarity of the level of change regarding the revised distance-based fares. I trust this clarifies the current position with regard to the implementation of the national fares strategy and how it will benefit many of the commuters and constituents in south Kildare. I appreciate the Senator's advocacy on this issue over the past number of weeks and months. There will be progress for commuters in south Kildare.