Call for Govt to scrap toll, public transport fare hikes

Updated / Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 13:16

Sinn Féin will this evening bring forward a Dáil motion calling on the Government to scrap planned toll hikes.

Last month, Transport Infrastructure Ireland confirmed that the cost of tolls on most of the country's roads will rise from 1 January next year.

The country's busiest road, the M50, will be among the roads to see toll increases, with all categories of vehicles seeing a hike.

The toll for cars using the M50 will increase by 10 cent per trip for motorists who have a tag or video account (to €2.70 for tag accounts and €3.30 for video accounts).

However, motorists using the M50 without any account will see their toll rise by 20c to €4 per trip.

The Dublin Port Tunnel will also see a €1 increase to €15 for motorists driving southbound towards the city between peak hours of 6am and 10am.

Otherwise rates for the tunnel will remain unchanged.

Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Transport Pa Daly will introduce a motion tonight which calls on the Government to immediately rule out planned toll increases and to conduct a review of current tolling policy and the impact they have on workers and families squeezed by the cost of living.

Speaking outside Leinster House this morning, Mr Daly said given the circumstances in relation to cost-of-living pressures, the hike in tolls should not proceed.

"The current Minister for Transport said in the run-up to the election that the tolls were far too high, and that they shouldn't proceed with increases in the tolls at that time," Mr Daly said.

He added: "So we're saying, in effect, what the minister himself was saying a number of years ago.

"There is the evidence that an increase in tolls doesn't help with congestion, and the companies that are involved in this, including the State, have record incomes when you compare the amount they were taking in in 2015, compared to the amount that they are taking in the latest available figure for 2024."

Soc Dems motion seeks reversal of fare hikes

The Social Democrats, meanwhile, will tomorrow introduce a motion to the Dáil seeking a full reversal of public transport fare increases from January.

Adult fares for public transport will increase by an average of 15% from January 2027 under new fare structures announced by the National Transport Authority.

In Dublin, a 90-minute Leap Card journey will increase from €2 to €2.30.

Town fares will increase by 10% for adults with Leap Cards to €1.65. Intercity rail express fares will increase by 10% and economy fares by up to 20%.

Social Democrats Spokesperson on Transport Aidan Farrelly described the planned increases as extremely shortsighted and counterproductive.

Speaking outside Leinster House, he said: "Right beside you on the streets of Dublin, it's absolute 'carmageddon'.

"We have carnage and chaos on our streets this week, but when the leaders of our EU colleagues leave on Thursday, that carnage and chaos will remain.

"What we need from this Government is leadership when it comes to congestion and vision when it comes to reducing that congestion on our roads."

He added: "The worrying thing about this is, from a cost-of-living perspective, what we are likely to see is the (public transport) user being punished twice for this.

"Not just when it comes to their fair increases, but also with the rising costs associated with that."