Councillors from both government and opposition parties have criticised the NTA for planned increases to public transport fares.
The €2, 90-minute fare, introduced by the Greens during the last coalition government, will see fares rise from January, leading to public and political pressure to reverse the changes.
The cost of a 90-minute Leap Card journey in Dublin will rise from €2 to €2.30, affecting commuters using Dublin Bus, Luas, DART and commuter rail services.
Town fares paid with an adult Leap Card will increase by 10 per cent to €1.65, while Intercity rail express fares will rise by 10% and economy fares by up to 20%.
Fine Gael councillor Colm O’Rourke criticised the planned hike at this month’s meeting of Dublin City Council.
The Cabra-Glasenvin councillor said Dublin City Council, as a whole are “very much opposed to any fare increases.”
O’Rourke explained it has been Dublin City Council policy to encourage people to use public transport as much as possible, and to reduce the number of cars coming into the city centre.
He said that the planned hike in fares flies in the face of what Dublin City Council is trying to achieve.
“We can’t tell Dubliners to leave their car at home and then be mugged at the bus stop,” he remarked.
O’Rourke said that the NTA and Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien need to engage with Dublin City Council on this issue.
“We want the NTA and the Minister to go back to the drawing board,” he said.
Fianna Fáil councillor Rory Hogan said, “we believe that these fare increases are a step too far.”
The Pembroke councillor said, “it is very difficult to support.”
“With that said, it is worth putting on the record the amount spent on public transport in recent years,” he noted, stating that in 2022, public transport investment stood at €540 million, and stood at €940 million for 2025.
Hogan said it wasn’t accurate to say that the government does not support public transport, but also said that Fianna Fáil were happy to vote to criticise the government on this issue.
Lord Mayor Daryl Barron, of Fianna Fáil, said he would be writing to Minister O’Brien on the issue.
“I believe that the decision to increase it is a bit tone-deaf,” the Donaghmede councillor said, and noted “I believe that a 15% increase could be the straw that breaks the camels back.”
Fianna Fáil’s contingent on Dublin City Council has expressed discomfort with the actions of their Dáil colleagues since Fianna Fáil won re-election in November 2024 and set about a more aggressive, conservative agenda.
The actions of Minister for Housing James Browne, in particular, have come in for criticism by Browne’s Fianna Fáil colleagues, with councillors frequently criticising Minister Browne for pulling rank on Dublin City Council.
Fianna Fáil councillors putting Minister O’Brien in their crosshairs is yet another example of the disconnect between the party’s TDs and their councillors on Ireland’s largest council.
Social Democrats councillor Paddy Monahan said it was positive that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were putting pressure on their colleagues in government to reverse the planned changes.
The Donaghmede councillor said, “make no mistake; the government is responsible for this decision.”
“Excellent public transport requires excellent funding, and that falls at the door of the government. The government’s priority is to continue to subsidise public transport at the cost of hundreds of millions, while the planet is melting.”
The Soc Dems councillor said that the government is trying to “shake down” public transport users.
“The notion that public transport should be self-funding is utterly wrong-headed; public transport is a public good,” he said.
Sinn Féin councillor Daithí Doolan remarked that Fine Gael have their “finger on the pulse” by coming out against such an unpopular decision.
“Sometimes, I feel that people at the higher echelons of government don’t understand what the cost of living crisis is like,” the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh councillor said.
“The plans to increase public transport costs during a cost of living crisis is unacceptable,” he said.
Doolan said, “we need to send a very clear message that this is unacceptable.”
Green Party councillor Ray Cunningham touted his party’s record in government, noting it was they who introduced cheaper fares for public transport users and increased spending on public transport instead of roads.
“Reducing public transport fares is very important for the cost of living; often, the people who use public transport are on lower wages, they are students, they are people who need public transport to go to work. By investing in more public transport we made Dublin a less congested, more livable place,” the Ballyfermot-Drimnagh councillor said.
“This government is rolling back on all of those. These fares will impact those who can afford it least. Public transport is being starved of the investment it needs,” he said.
Cunningham said that the government has thrown in the towel on public transport funding, noting delays to the roll-out of orbital bus routes, as well as delays to the DART South-West project.
Independent councillor Cieran Perry said, “it is a shocking state of affairs that we listen to arguments about tackling climate change and we see the horrendous weather events around the world, only to see the NTA and the government are increasing the cost of public transport.”
“To me, it seems like yet another dysfunctional government policy, which shouldn’t be a surprise given their dysfunctional housing policy,” Perry snipped, adding “it’s not a coincidence it’s the same minister.”
Perry said, “it annoys me to see government party councillors try to play both sides of the card here, and ask for the increase not to take place. Go back to your parties and tell the NTA not to increase the costs.”
The Cabra-Glasnevin councillor said, “the government don’t appear to understand what public service means; not everything has to make a profit.”
Labour councillor Darragh Moriarty spoke up for the Greens, saying they were accused of being “mudguards” for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, much like their party has been in the past, yet they achieved change while in government.
“This simply would not have happened if the Greens were still in government,” he stated.
“The government parties were gleefully talking about getting rid of the Greens; these exact checks are exactly what they wanted to get rid of. It is really important that small, progressive parties are a check on those in power, and that is what we are missing.”
People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy said “the mind really boggles to see where this decision came from; it is the worst decision at the worst time.”
“From a policy perspective, it is one of the most backwards ones I can think of,” the Ballymun-Finglas councillor said.
“People are saying that public transport should fund itself; I’m worried where that leads, that means that the bus that does not show up is more likely not to show up,” he said.
Reddy said that Ireland should follow in the footsteps of making public transport free, like what is seen in Luxembourg.
Reddy remarked, “I never thought I’d say this, but I’d like to thank the Green Party and the Dublin Commuter Coalition for organising a protest,” and said that “people power” was the best way to get the fare increases reversed.