Varadkar cannot rule out CIE fare increases

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has warned he cannot rule out fare increases on CIE buses and trains after pumping €36bn of emergency funds into the carrier.

The extra taxpayers’ cash being put into the transportation group was raided from other parts of Mr Varadkar’s departmental budget in a bid to prop up the passenger service.

Though Mr Varadkar stressed there was a need to be “very sensitive” about fare increases, he said he could not give a guarantee to bus and rail users.