r/irelandtransport

>THE Government has been urged to cut public transport fares and suspend future toll rises to provide relief amid “volatile” fuel prices. And they’ve been urged to make a clear plea to employers let commuters work from home as households budgets strain under rising prices.

“Major international carriers have cut routes or scaled back operations, with flyers now worrying about whether their own summer holidays could be affected.

And Irish passengers could face even more disruption in the weeks ahead.

Aviation bosses across Europe have warned that cancellations could begin from late May if fuel shortages worsen, with airlines already preparing for pressure on peak summer schedules.”

“Now the likes of China is looking elsewhere to replace those lost supplies, and it will try and buy oil from other sources, such as what's being produced in the North Sea.

Suddenly Ireland is competing with more countries when buying oil, and this inevitably drives up the price.”

“If an airline cancels a flight 14 days or more before departure, passengers are entitled to a refund or rerouting — but not financial compensation… If a cancellation happens less than 14 days before departure, additional compensation may be owed under EU261 — unless the airline can demonstrate the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances outside its control.”

“The trial will use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - a renewable diesel alternative produced from vegetable oils and waste fats - to power two formerly diesel-fuelled trains on the Cork commuter network.

Iarnród Éireann said that HVO can cut emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional diesel, serving as a drop-in replacement without the need for significant engine modifications.

The trial, which will run until June, is expected to use about 100,000 litres of ethically sourced HVO.”

>The Department of Transport, who provides the funding, has said it "is aware that oil price increases may impact contracts, contract prices and outputs". > >It is urging the local authorities to look within their contracts for solutions. > >"Where applicable, mechanisms within contracts for price variation can be utilised by the contracting authorities," it said.

> “Our plan is to allow the next two weeks to play out and see what comes from these discussions. If there is no meaningful progress, we will move forward with organised, peaceful protests on foot across major towns throughout Ireland. >“This has always been about showing the Government the reality – the sheer number of people struggling every single day due to the ongoing cost of fuel. From home heating oil to petrol, to green and white diesel. These are not luxury items. They are essentials for living and working, and people simply cannot afford the extortionate prices any longer.” >The group said if there are “no real developments within the next two weeks”, protests will start on May 2nd.

The pilot for the new TFI-wide system is set to start this September to address the issue of "ghost buses".

Dublin Bus chief executive Billy Hann told Newstalk that the current system is 15 years old and doesn't exactly offer "real-time" updates on a bus's location.

We're getting one small route that might be obsolete by the time it opens in 2038

>Flights departing from Dublin to many European airports look set to be axed, though there are other cancellations for flights departing Cork and Shannon. > >Those travelling to British airports including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Heathrow, Manchester and Newcastle may also see their flights cancelled. > >The report came following internal documents from the airline seen by the publication, with services to and from Minneapolos-St Paul, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto also set to be impacted.

>Ireland is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Its economy has consistently ranked among the fastest-growing in the European Union, and the country's GDP per capita places it in the same conversation as Switzerland and Norway.
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>Yet, for much of the last two decades, a citizen in Dublin could not take a train from the city centre to the airport. As of 2026, Ireland still has no metro system. Part of the country’s water infrastructure was so strained that residents received "boil water" notices. And a housing shortage so severe had taken hold that homelessness figures began drawing comparisons to the darkest periods of Irish history.
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>This is the central paradox of modern Ireland: a nation rich in money but has fallen behind in the basic infrastructure that money is supposed to build. However, it is this paradox that the country now targets to solve with its most ambitious public investment programme in Ireland's history.
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>Let’s explore the story of how Ireland got here, what it is doing about it, and whether the €275 Billion Race to Catch Up with Europe between now and 2030 can actually be delivered.

>Athenry transportation to Galway is getting slimmer as an early morning direct train service is close to its expiration date.

>Communication between Iarnród Éireann and Galway East TD Louis O’Hara show the 6.50am service from Athenry to Galway, the earliest train available, will be cut from the schedule after August.

>The 6.50am service gets commuters into Galway Ceannt station by 7.08am. The next available service, and what will become the first available service after August, will get commuters into Galway one hour later, at 8.09am.

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The temporary service, which began operation in October 2025, “was facilitated by operational arrangements associated with the ongoing renewal works at Cent Station, and funded by the capital project during this time,” Iarnród Éireann said.

>However, the service will cease due to a lack of Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding available.

>Deputy O’Hara understands this service supports over 50 weekday commuters and is “critical for people who have work, education and other commitments early in the morning in the city.”

>A recent decision to keep the original route of the 425A bus, rather than reroute through Athenry, has also lead to a squeeze on Athenry commuters.

Use public transport, just not this public transport apparently.

“[MIBI] wants to see the use in Ireland of a system called Continuous Vehicle Coverage (CVC) to lower the level of uninsured driving.“

>Bus Éireann lost close to €5 million under performance-related deductions, while Dublin Bus had penalties of €4.6 million imposed. >The figures show that Irish Rail had deductions of €3.7 million imposed, while Luas had penalties of €2.1 million and Go-Ahead more than €1.3 million.