Rally to be held against 'slap in the face' public transport fare hike

The ‘Fare Increase Protest’ takes place today (Friday, September 4) at Government Buildings, Merrion Square, at 5:30pm

Add to preferred sources News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 12:23, 04 Sep 2026 Updated 12:24, 04 Sep 2026 View Image Passengers alighting onto a Dublin Bus (Image: Gareth Chaney/Collins)

Protesters will gather to oppose public transport fare increases at Government Buildings.

Following news that bus and train fares are due to rise an average of 15% next year, the Green Party are hosting a protest outside Government Buildings at Merrion Square this evening at 5:30pm. Party representatives have slammed the National Transport Authority (NTA) for making this decision in the midst of a cost of living crisis and described it as a “slap in the face” to everyone who relies on buses, trains, the Luas and the Dart.

“These commuters see the hundreds of millions that the Government has spent over the summer protecting some sectors from inflation costs, yet they are expected to pay out more, every day, every journey. This decision shows this government’s priorities - and bus and rail passengers are at the bottom of the list,” Green Party Leader Roderic O’Gorman TD said.

Green Party spokesperson for Transport Councillor Feljin Jose said measures like increasing the TFI 90-minute Leap fare from €2 to €2.30 and the weekly cap going from €24 to €27.60 will only drive more people to their cars and dissuade the public from using people transport. “With motorways full and congestion at record levels, we should be encouraging more people to use public transport, expanding services and reducing car usage,” he stated.

“Instead, this government has decided to make it more expensive to do the right thing in the midst of a cost of living crisis. This decision will cost us far more in congestion and emissions than it will raise in revenue.”

Cllr Jose pointed out the first fare reductions in Ireland since 1947 came in 2022 with half price fares for students and young people and a 20% reduction for everyone. “This drove historic growth that saw record levels of public transport usage across all operators,” he said.

The data shows there were 363.5m journeys on public transport services in 2025, up from 343.6 million in 2024 and 290m in 2019. “This is now being jeopardised by the government’s decision to make it more expensive,” Cllr Jose stated.

Ballyfermot-Drimnagh Cllr Ray Cunningham described the increases as “insanity” and criticised the government for under delivering on promised transport infrastructure. “They've stopped adding local link bus services, rail service expansions are on hold, DART+ South West is on hold, BusConnects has ground to a halt and now they’re increasing public transport fares,” he said.

With the increase announcement coming in the same week that the United Nations announced global warming will exceed the 1.5-degree limit he said that, now more than ever, people should be switching to sustainable transport options . “That means fewer cars on the road, less congestion, everyone gets where they’re going faster and that includes the people who have to drive.”

The new measures only serve to undermine and undo achievements accomplished by the Green Party while they were in government, according to South West Inner City Cllr Michael Pidgeon. “We introduced the €2 90-minute fare. We reduced fares across the country for the first time since the 1940s. We introduced local link services at such a rate that every single week when we were leaving office there was a new rural local link service launching,” he stated.

Now, at a time when “the climate is on fire and congestion is up,” Cllr Pidgeon expressed disbelief that the government’s answer “seems to be to make it more expensive”. “It is just an insanely short-sighted approach,” he said.

“Come election time we need to prioritise candidates who actually use and support public transport. But, in the meantime, if you get the bus, Luas or train regularly, you need to get onto your local government TDs rapidly. Even a short or phone call will do and let them know what you think. This cannot be allowed to stand, this is the opposite direction that Ireland should be going in.”

Former Lord Mayor Hazel Chu described the increases as “not just irresponsible, but immoral”. She called the measures “a direct attack on sustainable transport” and criticised the government for under-investing in public transport. “In a cost of living crisis where everyone is strapped for cash as it is, to go backwards and say they are going to increase public transport fares makes no sense whatsoever,” she said.

When questioned on the decision to increase fares, Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the measures stating the government is “not in a position to fund everything forever”. He said there was a requirement for a “sustainable funding model” that can support the “pressure points” caused by demand for new services around the country.

“We do need a sustainable funding program in respect of being in a position to continue to expand services and public transport into the future,” Mr Martin said.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Transport Authority Anne Shaw also defended the increase as necessary to "deliver the best possible public transport system for passengers". "This is the first general increase in PSO fares in eight years and is an important step in supporting continued investment in expanded services, increased capacity and enhanced connectivity across the country," she said.

"At the same time, almost 1.5 million people will continue to benefit from free travel or fare concessions, including children under nine, people aged 66 and over, and those eligible under the Free Travel Scheme, while the 50% Young Adult and Student Discount is being maintained. These changes strike a careful balance between keeping public transport affordable and ensuring we can continue building a larger, more accessible and better-connected network for communities across Ireland.”

However, commuter groups believe that public transport users are simply being expected to carry the extra costs resulting from the extension of excise duty cuts on petrol, auto diesel and marked gas oil. In a joint statement, Galway , Dublin , Cork , Limerick and Drogheda commuter coalitions said that move "amounts to a cost of over €2 million a day".

“As you cram onto a crowded train or get passed by a full bus in the rain this winter, remember that the government is glad to raise your fares and to use the money they promised you for service improvements on the petrol that you don't burn,” they stated.

Speaking on the Claire Byrne Show, Jason Cullen from the Dublin Commuter Coalition stated that public transport users are being “fleeced”. “The worst part about it is that a week ago, the Dáil was recalled to extend the fuel subsidies for private motorists,” he said.

“And that costs about €2 million a day, right? Today, that 15% increase for public transport users is the equivalent exchequer rise in income, about €2 million a day, a little more actually.

“Public transport users are being fleeced to pay for the private transport users to continue to drive their cars at a slightly cheaper rate. It's literally a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul and it's punishing the behaviour they want, sustainable transport use, to enable the behaviour they don't want, private transport use.”

The ‘Fare Increase Protest’ takes place today (Friday, September 4) at Government Buildings, Merrion Square, at 5:30pm.

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