Half-price travel on public transport for young people secured by Greens

Date: 12 October 2021

People between the ages of 19 and 23 will get half-price travel on public transport in a measure announced in Budget 2022 called the young adults travel card.

The move is part of the Green Party’s commitment in this year's budget to support young people as we recover from Covid, reduce carbon emissions, and expand the use of public transport as we tackle the climate crisis.

Young adults will be able to apply for a travel card from next year and there will be no restrictions on travel, with reduced fare applying to both peak and off-peak times on intercity buses and trains, local buses, the Luas and the Dart.

Discussing the news and the impact for young adults in Wicklow, Deputy Matthews said:

“I was delighted with the announcement and it is something that I have been calling for in recent months following meetings with student groups in Wicklow. These are the types of meaningful and permanent changes we must make to help tackle emissions and to encourage people to use public transport. It’s also a welcome boost for this age cohort in terms of their cost of living so it’s a win win that only happened because the Green Party pushed hard for it to be included in the budget.

“As we emerge from the other side of the pandemic, we have a near return to normal in terms of students travelling to Dublin and further afield for third level courses and I hope this will encourage more of them to opt for the bus or the train instead of the car to get to college. It must be said that this is also applicable to those in this age bracket in apprenticeships and those who have entered the workforce so it’s a welcome boost for all 19-23-year olds. We continue to listen to young people as they demand increased action on equality and climate, and the Green Party is committed to delivering on these issues in government.

“It is hoped that this price reduction will help form a habit in this age cohort that will encourage greater use of public transport and less of a reliance on private cars going forward. We all know the reality of climate change that is facing us, and this is just one step that the Green Party has implemented is helping us reach our carbon reduction targets, concluded Deputy Matthews.