10% fares rise denied by CIE

CIE today denied it was seeking a 10% rise in bus and rail fares from the Government.

The state company received permission to increase ticket prices by up to 4% earlier this year and is now looking for further increases to cover the cost of high fuel prices.

But Iarnrod Eireann, which is part of the CIE group, denied there had been a request for a 10% hike.

“We have increasing costs and we have to cover those but it’s not 10% or anything close to 10%,” said spokesman Barry Kenny.

He said rising fuel costs had increased the company’s bills by 40%.

“Definitely fuel is a major issue because as everyone who owns any sort of vehicle knows, the cost has been going up,” he told RTE radio.

Last year CIE made a surplus of €20.5m after taking in €683m in passenger revenue and €267m in state grants.

Labour Transport spokeswoman Roisin Shorthall TD said if the Government wanted the public to use public transport, it should keep fares at their present level or reduce them.

“Any increase is actually another stealth tax on the public. The Government should also look to increasing its subvention to CIE, which at 25% is only half of the European average of 50%,” she said.