Dublin – Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Meehol Martin, announced today that the upcoming 2024 budget, set to be unveiled in October, will feature significant reductions in public transport ticket prices and the provision of free textbooks for primary school children.
Martin emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing the soaring cost of living in the country. He stated that this budget would follow in the footsteps of previous ones by lowering fares for essential public services like healthcare and education. The proposed reduction in public transport fares aims to incentivize more people to use buses and trains, with the dual benefit of making these services more accessible and curbing air pollution.
“We are waiting for instructions from the Minister of Transport regarding public transport ticket prices,” Martin explained, indicating that specific details would be forthcoming. However, he clarified that the initiative to provide free textbooks would remain exclusive to primary school children and would not extend to secondary education, citing limitations on government resources.
The 2024 budget announcement reflects the government’s efforts to alleviate the financial burden on citizens while promoting sustainable transportation and education for the country’s youngest learners.