'Everybody's hard-pressed': minister dismisses criticism of public transport fare hikes
Irish Junior Transport Minister Seán Canney has defended upcoming 15% public transport fare hikes, arguing they are necessary to improve service quality despite the current cost-of-living crisis. The government faces criticism for increasing public transport costs while simultaneously providing fuel subsidies for private motorists.
Why it matters
The policy highlights the tension between government climate goals and the immediate economic pressures faced by commuters.
JUNIOR TRANSPORT MINISTER Seán Canney has dismissed criticism of the government’s public transport fare hikes, coming amid new fuel subsidies for motorists.
Adult fares on buses and trains nationwide are set to increase by an average of 15% from January.
Speaking to The Journal at the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) conference in Killarney on Saturday, Canney said that he regularly gets complaints about buses being delayed or cancelled.
The junior minister for road safety said he hopes the increased fares will go towards fixing those problems.
Canney rejected criticism that the fares are unfair, given they happened only days after the Dáil returned early to approve an extended reduction of 30c per litre for diesel and 25c for petrol until 31 October.
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