The National Transport Authority's, NTA, plans to increase public transport fares by an average of 15% have come as a hammer blow to commuters already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Fares for some will rise by up to 35%. Certain cohorts of students have been excluded from student fare rates. These changes will disproportionately affect those on lower incomes coming at a time when housing, grocery and energy costs remain intolerably high and rising. This change also follows price hikes for parents of children using school transport. It comes after a summer when droughts and floods across Ireland and Europe have reminded us of the need to ensure that we take action to slash carbon emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and encourage public and active travel. The Government has been curiously silent. It has let the NTA take the hit for railroading through these plans. If the Government can find €400 million to subsidise diesel, it has the power and resources to make public transport affordable. The Labour Party is asking whether the Government give commuters a break and stop this fare hike.

In fairness, we have been out talking about this and so has the Minister. Ireland has maintained an effective eight-year fare freeze alongside targeted measures like the young adult card, free travel for under nines and the 90-minute fare, which is support that compares favourably with international practice. We have to balance affordability with a financially sustainable transport system that is able to fund service improvements, network expansion and fleet investment. We have to do all of that. Most European countries rely on a mix taxpayer funding and passenger revenue. We have delivered one of the most significant fare reforms in decades through the 90-minute fare and youth discounts. Now, we have identified 140 new service initiatives and capacity enhancements in the 2027 budget submission that the NTA has submitted to the Department of Transport. This will be the biggest year on year service enhancement in many years. It is a balance between making sure that we have a sustainable transport system into the future and that we get more services on an annual basis.

It is the wrong direction of travel.