Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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276. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has met with an organisation (details supplied) regarding its pre-Budget 2026 submission; if his Department has assessed the merit of its pre-Budget 2026 submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34283/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Transport, I can confirm that my department has received a submission from Mobility Partnership Ireland (MPI) containing their proposals for Budget 2026, and that representatives from the Department will meet with MPI to discuss these proposals in more detail in the coming days. The Department is currently considering this submission, along with others received, and these will inform the approach to engagement with the Department of Finance in relation to Budget 2026.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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277. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has engaged with the Minister for Finance on options to extend tax relief to more commuters and more modes of sustainable transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34284/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Every year, as part of the budgetary cycle, my Department and the Department of Finance engage on a range of possible changes to the tax code, including changes that might encourage people to travel more sustainably. Specific tax incentives are now in place to support cycling, encourage the use of public transport and support the transition to EVs.

My Department is continuously exploring ways to encourage the uptake of cycling as a mode of transport. Our National Sustainable Mobility Policy examines the different behavioural change measures that can be explored to promote modal shift away from private car use and towards zero-emission transport modes such as walking, cycling and e-biking.

The Deputy may be aware that in Budget 2021, my colleague, the then Minister for Finance, increased the thresholds for the Cycle to Work scheme to enable the purchase of e-bikes and more recently the thresholds were increased again in the most recent Budget to accommodate the purchase of cargo bikes and e-cargo bikes.

My Department will continue to undertake research into other additional measures which could be introduced to promote modal shift and encourage uptake of cycling across all demographics as part of the annual Budgetary process.

In respect of the day-to-day operations of public transport, including TaxSaver ticket offerings, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under PSO contracts. In their capacity as fare regulator, on the 27th of April 2023, the NTA published a new National Fares Strategy, and following this on the 18th of January 2024 they published the first of a series of Fares Determination related to the strategy.

The most significant change in the fare determination was the implementation of a new ‘Dublin Commuter Zone’ this year (extending from the outer edge of the Dublin City Zone to approximately 50 km from the centre of Dublin), with simplified Leap capping, as well as changes to some Intercity Rail and town bus fares. This represents a more consistent and equitable fares approach, and one that is easier for customers to understand.

This new Dublin Commuter Zone sees the introduction of a range of Taxsaver products which will allow unlimited multi-modal travel within the zone purchased, along with zones closer to Dublin city centre. For example, a Zone 1 ticket now costs €960 annually or €96 per month which represents a saving of 38% - this is outside of the additional savings which can be made by customers availing of the product via Taxsaver.

The transition to electric vehicles is currently supported through a number of existing taxation measure including BIK relief, VRT relief and low rate of motor tax. Officials within my Department have commenced consultation with officials in the Department of Finance around a number of proposals as part of the 2026 Budgetary process.