Martin Rules Out 'Giveaway' Budget as Transport Fares Hike 15%

The coalition is under fire over a 15% average hike in bus and rail fares set for January, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin defending the increases as necessary for a "sustainable funding model" while facing a barrage of opposition criticism. The fare hikes apply to all public service obligation services including Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Dublin Bus, and Luas, with the popular 90-minute Leap card fare in Dublin rising from €2 to €2.30. The timing could hardly be worse: the...