Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister of State for being here today. This matter concerns the lack of Leap card access for journeys starting from Banteer and Millstreet to Cork city, and the absence of an early train from Banteer, which is an issue that forces students to make impossible choices every week.

A woman in my constituency reached out to let me know that her daughter travels to college in Cork every day. She works part time and studies full time. Like so many others, she is doing her best to make it work. Because Leap card fares only apply from Mallow to Cork and not from Banteer and Millstreet, her daily journey costs considerably more. For young students, the difference does add up. Over a week, that is money that could have been put towards groceries, potential rent or even just a small bit of breathing room. It is not fair that two students sitting side by side on the same train pay two completely different fares simply because one lives a few stops further into rural Ireland.

This is not just about the cost; it is about opportunity and fairness. Many of these students live in Banteer, Millstreet, Kanturk and the surrounding areas simply because they cannot find or afford accommodation in the city.The accommodation crisis has pushed them home, not by choice but by necessity. When we are talking about regional development and sustainable transport, this is what really matters. These young people are trying to do the right thing. They have made it to college despite every obstacle, like rising rents, housing shortages and limited public transport, yet they are being penalised because they live outside the commuter belt.

To make matters worse, the early morning service from Banteer to Cork city does not run on Mondays. There is a train at 7 a.m. On every other weekday that allows students to reach UCC, or Munster Technological University, MTU, for 9 a.m. lectures. On Mondays, however, the first train is not until 8.25 a.m., which is far too late for morning classes. What happens? Students then have to make other arrangements. Some travel to Mallow by car just to catch the early train, adding extra expense and time to already long days. Others simply miss out on their Monday lectures. It is a small scheduling gap but it has big impacts for these students. Rural students are doing everything right and they are constantly reminded their communities do not count in the same way. Whether it is transport, broadband, housing or healthcare, there is always an extra cost, an extra hurdle and the extra things they just do not qualify for.

All we are asking for is a bit of fairness. Can the Minister of State please extend Leap card access or provide fare parity to include journeys from Banteer and Millstreet to Cork city to ensure students are not penalised because of where they live? If there are technical or infrastructure barriers, could the Minister of State please outline a clear and immediate plan to address them and provide an interim fare solution in the meantime? Can the Monday morning gap in the timetable also be addressed to ensure there are services from Banteer that allow students to reach Cork city before 9 a.m.?

This is about giving rural students a fair start and saying where you are from should not determine the opportunities you can access or how much you have to pay for them. Today, therefore, I am asking that the Leap card be extended to Banteer and Millstreet and for the Minister of State to try to restore the early Monday morning service. These students have already overcome so much and they deserve the very best. Just for us to make their journeys to education a little bit easier should not have to cost the world.